Remember When
by boobtube1938
Summary: Thirty years ago, the pack left Stiles to fight rogue packs. Stiles finds a nice retirement home and has been living there for the past ten years, but what happens when a stranger comes into his life to talk about his past? I do not own teen wolf
1. Chapter 1

"Mr. Hale, there is someone here to see you." The nurse turned to the young man, who was in his early twenties: "You can go in, he's a little stubborn."

"Thank you.. ahh…"

"Nancy."

"Nancy." The young man took a few steps in the room, Nancy closing the door behind him.

Mr. Hale had his back towards the door, facing the window, looking out at the bright sunny summer's day. "Did you bring me my burger yet?"

Not sure of how to respond, the young man inched his way towards the older gentleman. "Umm… no sir, sorry, I'm…" the young man pausing, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "Mr. Hale, I was wondering if you could tell me all you know about werewolves." A light laugh could be heard, before the older man turned around; deep pools of chocolate eyes connecting with gray ones.

A crooked grin was present on Mr. Hale's face. "Why would you want to know about werewolves?"

"Well, umm, I'm doing some research for college and I heard that you know all about this type of stuff."

"So you think an old senior citizen such as me knows about this stuff? How do you know that I'm not just an old man loosing his mind and just babbling nonsense?"

"You have the mark."

Mr. Hale's eyes grew wide, his hand reaching up to rub the mark on his neck. "H-how do you know about the mark?"

"I've done my research."

"Listen to me kid, keep your nose out of this, you don't want to get involved or have any knowledge of this stuff, just go on home now and do what ever you people do nowadays."

The young man was growing aggravated at the older man, but was still determined to find out all that he could about werewolves, even if it killed him. "Genim Stilinski."

The senior citizen's head popped up at the mention of his old name, the name his mother had given him, but changed it later to Stiles. The older Stiles giving Nate a confused look.

Nate smiles, "Like said, I've done my research."

The old softness that use to be present in his eyes, returned at the mention of his old name, the one that linked him to his past, to his mother, to all those fun memories of belonging to a pack, the partnership between each pack mate, and _Derek_. "I'll tell you what, you take me out of this death trap and go take me to get some greasy food, and then I'll think about answering some of your questions."

"Deal."

Stiles jumped out of the chair he was sitting in and walked out of the door. "Are you coming?"

The young man followed pursuit behind Stiles.

"Where, where do you think you're going Mr. Hale? Hey!" Stiles and his companion walked out of the doors of the retirement home, to the vehicle the young man had pointed out was his.

"Where to?"

"A burger joint, they've been feeding me shitty food."

Twenty minutes later, the two men were pulling into the parking lot of a local burger place. The two walked in, sitting at a table located near a window. A waitress came, asking for their orders.

"I'll just have a glass of water please."

"And for you sir?"

Stiles was still looking over the menu, but then started to ramble off his order. "I would like three double bacon and cheese burgers with an extra side of fries, and a milkshake, chocolate."

The waitress walked away.

Looking up from the menu at last, Stiles looked at the man sitting across from him, noticing his mouth was open. "What?"

"Oh, umm, nothing, never mind."

Stiles clicked his tongue. "What did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't, I'm Nate."

"Mmmhmm."

Nate waited for Stiles to continue, but he never did. "So umm.. Mr. Hale…"

"Stiles… you should know that I like being called Stiles."

Not wanting to argue, Nate called Mr. Hale, Stiles.

"So… Stiles… about my research about werewolves…"

"What would you like to know?"

"_Everything_." Nate's eyes grew wide with excitement.

Stiles lets out a chuckle, remembering back to when he was just like Nate; naive, always wanting to learn more, not caring about the danger that could possibly follow afterwards. "How do I know that I can trust you? You said you're doing this for school, this is information that can't fall into the wrong hands."

"Who's going to believe me? I've read some of your work, you know from your high school days, and none of your teachers believed you."

"Ha, true, very true, but they had reason not to believe me, I was the ADD teen who couldn't sit still for five seconds and couldn't keep my mouth shut."

"Look, I'm just looking for a little information about this topic, it's not really for school, it's well, you see… my friend and I were… well long story short, we were in the woods and I took this photo." Nate reached into his jean pocket, pulling out a folded picture. He laid it on the table, sliding it over to Stiles. "I know that wolves don't live in the area, so I did some research and came across some legends about Beacon Hills and I stumbled across your name."

Stiles remained silent, staring at the picture in front of him. It was a picture of two crimson orbs in the darkness, a slight outline of what looked like a wolf's body, but only bigger, much bigger.

"Stiles?"

"W-where did you get this?"

"I took it, when I was with my friend, in the woods, on the reserve." Stiles' head snapped up, looking at Nate.

"Reserve?"

"Yeah."

"W-where exactly?"

"By the umm.. the house in the middle of the woods."

Stiles' face became expressionless, eyes staring blankly at the photo in front of him. Nate, after a few moments, snapped his fingers in front of Stiles' face. "Stiles?"

"Huh? What? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking. Where were we?"

Just then, the waitress came over with the food. "Here you go. Is there anything else that I can get for you?"

"No, I think we're good for now. Thanks." Stiles replied.

Stiles started shoveling food into his mouth, while Nate looked at him with disgust and fascination.

With his mouth full, Stiles starting to talk to Nate. "Ok, I'll tell you want you want to know but you can't tell others."

"I won't." Nate stared at the man in front of him, waiting for him to continue.

"Oh, yes, sorry. Well, it all started when…"

"_Dude, are you sure there's a body out here?"_

"_Yes, Scott, I heard it over the scanner and plus why else would the police be out here in the middle of the night with search dogs?" Scott shrugged. "Just come on, live a little Scott."_

_The asthmatic teen brought his inhaler to his mouth, trying to calm his nerves. Barking could be heard in the distance. "Scott, hide!" Stiles whispered-yelled. Scott ran behind the closest tree, trying to stay out of view letting his friend disappear into the blinding light of the police officer's flashlights. _

"_Whoa, hold on, that delinquent is my son."_

"_Hey there dad."_

"_Stiles, what are you doing out here? I thought I told you to stay home!"_

"_You implied that I should stay home…"_

"_STILES!"_

"_What?"_

_The Sheriff sighs, rubbing his face with his hand. "Where's your partner in crime?"_

"_Scott? He's, he's at home…"_

_The Sheriff shines his flashlight into the darkness. "Scott?" hearing no response, he grabs his son by his shirt, hauling him off to his cruiser to take him home, leaving Scott alone to find his way back home._

"So let me get this straight. You took your friend, Scott, into the woods, after dark in search of a body. Then, you get caught by your father, who happens to be the Sheriff, and you say that Scott was at home, when he was only say like 10 feet away hiding behind a tree, and so, trying to save Scott from getting in trouble, you leave him, alone, in the dark?"

"When you put it like that… ok, yeah, pretty much."

"So what happened to Scott?"

"After I left him, Scott tried to find his way back home, but as he was walking through the woods, he dropped his inhaler. He stopped to look for it, and he stumbled upon the body."

"He found it?"

"Yeah, but more on that topic later. Pass the ketchup. Thanks. Ok, so, where was I? Uh, yes, Scott found the body and panicked. After that I'm not sure what happened, I just know that after he found the body, he was bitten."

"Bitten?"

"Yeah, bitten, like 'om nom nom' but he wasn't werewolf chow, just a chew toy."

Nate was taking in all the information that Stiles was telling him, questioning himself if this guy was serious. Yes, he wanted to know about werewolves, but this, this was just insane.

"…so then I started howling…"

"Huh?"

"Are you even paying attention to me? I thought you wanted to know about this?"

"Yeah, I do, but…"

"No buts just listen and pass the salt. Thanks. As I was saying…"

"_Scott, I think you're a werewolf. You heard a wolf howling, the bite, you saying you can see and smell things better, not to mention that you don't use your inhaler…"_

"_Stiles, this is crazy! There is no way that I'm a werewolf. Look, I have to go…"_

"_Scott! Just listen to me!" Stiles was shoved against the wall, Scott mere inches from his face. Without another word, other than 'sorry' from Scott, the teen darted from the room, leaving his best friend alone…_

"He didn't believe you?"

"Not at first. I don't blame him though, if I was in his situation, I probably wouldn't believe it either."

"What happened after he left?"

"He went to a party, almost shifted in front of people because of the full moon and was later hunted down by another beta, to be stopped so he wouldn't kill anyone."

"Another beta?"

"Yeah."

"Who was the other beta?"

Stiles hesitated, remembering when he last saw his mate, thirty years ago. Stiles' eyes started to water, tears threatening to fall.

"Don't cry, please don't cry, I didn't mean to upset you…"

"No, its fine, you didn't know. The second beta was Derek. Derek Hale. My mate."


	2. Chapter 2

"Your…"

"Yes, Derek Hale, was, is, my mate."

"Where is he?"

"Truthfully, I don't know. I know he's still alive because I can feel him but thirty years ago, he left, with Scott, Jackson, and Danny. Leaving Lydia, Allison and I behind."

"Who are the others?"

"Who? Jackson and Danny?"

"Yeah, but the two girls too, who are they?"

"Oh, Jackson and Danny are Derek's betas. Scott, was the other alpha's, Peter, beta until Derek killed him and Allison and Lydia are mates to Scott and Jackson."

"Where's Allison and Lydia?"

"Don't know that either. After their mates left, we kind of lost track of each other. I was wondering around, lost, feeling empty. I raised Derek and mine's children. They grew up and left as soon as they could to look for their other father, their alpha."

"They just left you?"

"Yeah, some things I will never understand, but why they left, I understand completely; being a mate of a werewolf, who happens to be the alpha, and being part of a pack, I understand. There is this loyalty to the alpha that each member understands, whether a werewolf or not. They wanted to find their father and be close to their alpha."

"Have you heard from them?"

"At first I did, now, I have no contact with them."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Like I said, it's a pack thing. Only when you become a pack member do you understand fully. Yes I miss them dearly but sooner or later they would have to leave, and well, they just left a little sooner than I thought."

Nate, feeling guilty, wanted to change the subject. "You said the other alpha, Peter, was killed by Derek. He was the one who bit Scott?"

"Correct. He was Derek's uncle."

"And Derek killed him?"

"Yes, let me tell you the rest of the story, hopefully it'll help some. After Scott…"

"_How am I supposed to control this?"_

"_I don't know Scott, but I'm going to help you in any way that I can. Did Derek tell you anything when he stopped you the other night?"_

"_Not really, other than that if I want to control this, I need him."_

"_He's really helpful. Ok, Scott, listen to me, I'm going to train you on how to control this, we'll get through this together." Scott nods his head in understanding._

_The final bell rang, signaling that the end of the school day has come to an end._

"_Shit!"_

"_What?"_

"_We have practice today. Dude, you cannot go out there without knowing how to control this. You might kill someone."_

"_But Coach won't let me sit out, I'm first line."_

"_Say that you're sick or something."_

_The two walked to the locker room, gear bags slung over their shoulders. Finstock comes out of his office._

"_McCall! Get your ass to the field now! You too Bilinski!"_

_Scott walks over to Coach. "Hey, Coach, I c-can't practice today…"_

"_What's that McCall? You get your ass to the field now or you loose your spot on first line!" With that, Finstock slammed his office door, heading out to the field._

"What happened?"

"Scott went out to practice and almost exposed what he was. Luckily he was able to run to the locker room and turn on cold water to calm himself down."

"That Finstock seems to be an ass."

"Finstock was a total ass. Anyways, after the incident on the field, I put Scott through the 'Stiles' Boot camp for Newly Bitten Werewolves'"

"Are you serious?"

"What? He had to be trained, and Derek, well Derek at this time hated everyone, never smiled, always growling and threatening to rip my throat out with his teeth and blah blah blah."

"And yet, you two ended up being mates?"

"Shocker isn't it?"

The two men had been sitting in the little café for over an hour now, Stiles' food was devoured, and another couple of milkshakes were ordered.

"Was Scott ever able to control himself?"

"Eventually, but it took a while, that is, until Allison showed up."

"His mate."

"You have been listening."

"I try." Nate gave a smile. "What does Allison have to do with Scott controlling himself?"

"She was the one to calm him down. After they started going out, and after my training, we discovered that Allison was Scott's anchor. He was able to keep himself under control just by thinking about her or hearing her voice."

"Was that how it was for you and Derek? I mean, were you able to stop a shift?"

"After we discovered that we were mates, even before hand, I was always able to calm Derek, stopping him from shifting."

"I can't even imagine being able to do that, to stop a shift, that has to be some strong bond."

"It sure is kid-o, it sure is."

"Did Allison know that she could do this? I mean, it seems like it took you and Derek awhile to both realize what you could do with Derek, but did Allison know that she had this affect on Scott?"

"No. It took a long time before Scott even told her what he was. It wasn't until the formal that his secret came out, but he didn't exactly tell her."

"How she find out then?"

"After the incident on the field, a magnitude of events happened. Remember when I told you that I was put on first line but wasn't able to play?"

"Yeah?"

"_You have to go in there. Go to Peter's room and see if he's in there."_

"_Why do I always have to be Robin?"_

"_Stiles!"_

"_Geesh, Ok, I'm going."_

"_Wait."_

_Stiles turned around, facing Derek. Derek grabbed the back of the teen's head, slamming it into the dash board._

"_What the fuck?"_

"_You know what that was for, now go."_

"Once I was inside the facility, I found Peter's room, noticing he was missing. Then, out of no where, I saw him and his nurse. My only thought was that I was going to die. Suddenly, Derek came to my rescue. There was a battle between the two, Derek won."

"What's the story with this Peter guy?"

"OH, I forgot that little piece of info. Peter Hale, Derek's uncle, was one of the few who survived the Hale house fire. The whole family was trapped in the basement and the house was put to flames by Derek's ex, Kate Argent. After the fire, Peter was in a coma, thus leaving Derek and his sister, Laura, to fend for themselves. Laura became the alpha since she was the oldest. So Derek and her left Beacon Hills due to the pain of loosing their family. After leaving, Laura got word that something was wrong with Peter, in addition to him being in a coma. So, Laura came back home, found her uncle in the woods and he killed her to become alpha. It was her body that Scott found that night when he was bitten."

Nate was starting to connect the dots. "What did Derek do?"

"Peter told Derek that it was an accident, but thanks to Scott, Derek found out the truth; that his uncle killed his sister so he could become the alpha. After becoming the alpha, he needed a pack, and therefore found Scott and bit him to become stronger, but Scott didn't want the bite, he tried to stay far from Peter."

"But he never thought that Scott would rebel against him?"

"Peter believed that the bite was a gift, not a curse. So he thought that Scott would adapt and follow him, never thinking that his newly turned beta would go against him."

"Wow."

"Yup. Are you going to finish that?" Before Nate could respond, Stiles grabs the milkshake sitting in front of him and starts eating it.

"You said Allison didn't find out until the formal."

"Mhmm."

"Why the formal? Why didn't Scott tell her sooner?"

"He was afraid she wouldn't love him, be scared of him and because of her family history."

"What about her family history? How did he tell her?"

"He didn't exactly tell her…"

"_What are we doing out here?"_

"_I want to show you something." Allison ran between the parked buses, stopping when she felt strong arms around her waist. The two lovers locked gazes._

"_Come on." Allison broke free of Scott's embrace, making her way onto a bus. Scott hesitates then starts moving to the entrance of the bus, only to be stopped by bright lights on either side of him._

_There were two vehicles, trapping him between the buses, no escape. The cars started to move at full speed, heading towards Scott._

"Who was after Scott? Why did they want to kill him?"

"Damn I keep forgetting shit. Sorry. The people in the cars were hunters, the Argents to be exact, Allison's father."


	3. Chapter 3

"Now there are hunters and Allison's father is one?"

"Werewolf hunters and yes, Allison's father along with the rest of her family, remember how I told you about the Hale house fire and Kate Argent?"

"One of Allison's relations?"

"Her aunt."

"She's connected to the fire?"

"She's the one who started it. When she was younger, she use to date Derek, she found out who and what he was and killed his family."

"That's horrible. No wonder Peter wanted revenge."

"That guy was extremely creepy." Stiles looks down, remembering Peter and shudders at the thought.

"But I mean, you can't really blame him, that Kate bitch took away his family."

"Yeah, she had no right to kill innocent people, some of the people in there that were killed were kids, and completely human."

"What a bitch."

"Tell me about it."

"Back to Scott, how did the hunters find out about him?"

"Jackson."

"Wait, the same guy who left with Derek and the others some thirty years ago?"

"That would be him."

"Why did he tell them?"

"Jackson is a different type of person. He always strives to be the best, and when he felt that he failed, he would take it out on other people. Jackson found out about Scott's furry little problem by himself, then demanding Scott to give him the bite. But, the bite has to come from an alpha to work. So, Jackson made it his mission to track down the alpha, and get the bite."

"I'm guessing he found the alpha?"

"Yeah, after the formal and Derek killing his uncle, Jackson found Derek and well, Derek gave him the bite."

"At this point in time, Scott and Jackson are the only two betas and Derek became the alpha."

"Correct."

"When does this other guy come in at?"

"Danny? He was welcomed into the pack not long after Jackson. Danny found out about Jackson and the whole werewolf thing and wanted to join the pack. Derek agreed and bit him."

"What about Allison and Lydia? Did Derek turn them?"

"I don't really know, but I have a feeling that Allison and Lydia found the others and Derek turned them, but that's just a feeling."

"He never turned you though?"

"No, he said that he didn't want to risk loosing me."

"Oh…"

"But that's in the past."

"Stiles?"

Stiles looks up "Yeah?"

"You told me about how Scott was bitten, but you never told me about you and Derek."

"You don't want to know about that stuff, it's really boring."

"Please?" Nate looked up with sad puppy eyes.

"Seriously? You're going to use the old puppy dog eyes on me? I invented those." Stiles looks at his watch. "I'm sorry, but I kind of have to get back home or Nancy is going to have a fit. Maybe we can do this another time?"

Disappointment washed over Nate, he was so close to learning about Stiles and Derek. "Yeah, we can do that."

The two men got out of their seats, heading towards the door, then to Nate's car. Another twenty minutes later, Nate was pulling into the parking lot and saying good-bye to the older gentleman.

Nate got back into his car, driving down the road, towards a familiar dirt path. Stepping out, he was greeted by the sight of a wolf pack.

"How is he?"

"He's fine. He remembers."

"Did you get him to talk about him and I?"

"He started to but saw what time it was and wanted to get back to the retirement home."

Derek shifted his head upwards, taking in the scent of his mate from Nate. "Derek, you need to see him."

"I can't its been too long."

"He misses you, all of you. Why did you guys just leave him? Just because he wasn't a werewolf?"

"No! There was a battle to be fought, we, I, didn't want to risk loosing him."

"Then why not turn him?"

"Too dangerous, the bite could have killed him."

"You're killing him by not being there, with him. You should see the look he has every time he thinks about you, all of you, not just you Derek."

Scott, not looking like he had aged over the last thirty years, steps to the front. "He's ok though right?"

"He's great as a man who has been through what he's been through can be."

Scott turns towards the others. "We have to go to him, show him that we're fine. It's been too damn long. You should have turned him Derek."

Derek growled, only being calmed by a hand grasping his arm, it was Grace, his daughter. "Dad, he's right, we have to go to him, he was heart broken when you guys first left."

"Grace is right," It was Evan, Derek and Stiles' son, "we have to go back, I miss him like crazy. I think we all do, and you're going to turn him dad."

Derek looks at Evan, then to Grace. "What if it kills him?"

"It won't." Grace whispered. Derek nodded, looking back to Nate.

"Do you think you'll be able to bring him here sometime?"

"Eventually, but right now, I don't think it's the proper time, it's the first time he has talked to anyone about this, give me a few weeks, and I think he'll be ready."

"A few weeks?" Derek yelled.

"Yes, it took you thirty years to return, I think you can wait a little longer."

"Dad, he's right. He just popped into Stiles' life; he'll need to get use to Nate being around."

Derek was about to protest, but then decided against it. It was his fault that Stiles was in this situation. They would have to take things slow. "Fine, but don't mess this up."

"I won't." With that, Nate once again got into his car, driving off, leaving the Hale pack, minus a member, alone.

"Let's go back to the house; we have to get everything ready for when Stiles returns." Allison informed the pack. The pack marched towards the house, Derek, however, stood still, looking in the distance.

"Dad?" Derek turned around, looking at his two children.

"Thirty years has been a long time. What if he doesn't want me back?"

"It'll be fine dad; he talked about you all the time when you were gone."

"You two shouldn't have left him."

"We had to find you." Grace replies.

"But he needed you guys more."

Both children hung their heads, thinking of the day that they left their other father. Stiles was holding back tears, kissing and hugging his children a farewell.

"Are you guys just going to stand out there all night? We have to get ready for Stiles!" Lydia shouted out the window of the Hale home.

"Come on, I don't think you want Lydia remodeling your room." Grace told Derek, leading the way back to the house.

Once inside, the three noticed the rest of the pack busy with cleaning, trying to restore the house. There were still cobwebs and dust everywhere. It had been a week since the pack returned, but this was their first day back at the home.

"Ewww! I don't even want to know what that is!" Jackson shouted from the kitchen. He was cleaning out the refrigerator and came across moldy food.

Derek made his way up the stairs, followed by Grace and Evan. He stopped at the one bedroom door, hesitating, reaching out his arm, only to pull it back, as if he was going to be burned. Then, he reached his hand out again, grasping the doorknob, opening the long forgotten room. He took in the scenery in front of him. The king sized bed was still in the middle of the wall with the blankets thrown all over the place. Derek walked over to the bed, sitting down, trying to smell his mate.

Grace tapped her brother on the shoulder, signaling that they should let their dad alone for a while. Closing the door behind them, Grace turns to Evan. "Let's go to our old rooms, I bet you dollies are still there."

"They're collectable action figures!"

The two young wolves bounded down the hallway to what use to be their room. Evan opened the door and was welcomed with the sight of their old bedroom. Grace's side of the room still all neat and tidy, and Evan's well, he took after Stiles, his side of the room was a disaster; clothes thrown every where.

"I guess some things never change, do they Evan?" Grace smiles at her brother.

"Shut up." Evan gently pushes his sister in a playful manor.

"What ever, hey I bet I can beat you down stairs. Go!"

"Not fair, I wasn't ready!"

The two siblings raced their way towards the stairs, pushing and shoving each other. Once at the stairs, they jumped to the bottom, then running to the kitchen.

"I win!"

"Not fair! You didn't give me a heads up!"

"So? I win!"

"Ok you two, are you guys going to help or just bicker?" Lydia said, joining Jackson and the two siblings in the kitchen. "Can you two go get your cousins? We could really use their help in here."

"I'll get them!" Grace shouted before her brother had a chance.

"Not fair Grace!"

The two siblings ran outside, howling in the breeze, calling their cousins to the house. The four other werewolves emerged from the woods, where they were surveying the land, making sure there weren't any other packs in the territory.

"Willow, Cole, Lydia wants you two to help her and your father in the kitchen."

"Ok, thanks Grace" Cole replied, walking beside his sister into the house.

"What about us? Do mom and dad need our help?"

"Not sure Bryn." Grace informed her cousin. "Where's your sister?"

"Sky got distracted by a rabbit on our walk back here, she should be coming soon."

"Ok."

"Did Nate come and talk to you guys?" Bryn questioned.

"Yeah, he said Pop dad is doing fine, he remembers."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is, I just feel a little guilty for leaving him."

"You're back now, and soon, he'll be here, where he belongs."

"True. Come on, I want to get this place clean for him when he does come home."

Grace and Bryn made their way into the home, cleaning the house, trying to make it perfect for Stiles.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Had this story written and completed but got more ideas so right now I'm fixing the other chapters and adding to the story. I know you guys will hate me for where I'm going to take this story, but don't get your pitch forks out yet, I have tricks up my sleeves. But for now, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!**

The next couple of weeks, Nate would go visit Stiles to visit and talk about what ever popped into Stiles' mind.

"There was this one time, I'll never forget it. I found a stray kitten in the woods when I was going up the dirt path to Derek's house. I stopped my jeep and cradled the bundle of fluff, put her in my jeep and continued to the house. When I got there, I grabbed the fragile kitten and took her inside. Derek was furious that I brought a stray into the house…"

"_Derek! Hey Derek! I have a surprise! Derek? Come on little one, I'll get you some milk." Stiles walked into the kitchen, pulling out the carton of milk, poured milk into a bowl and sat the kitten on the counter._

"_What. Is. That?" Stiles turned around to face the man in the doorway._

"_This? It's a kitten. Isn't she cute?" Stiles picked up the kitten, holding it up to show Derek._

"_Stiles, why do you have a kitten?"_

"_She was wondering around in the woods all alone and afraid, I couldn't just leave her Derek. Look at this face." Stiles walked closer to Derek, holding the pure white kitten inches from his face; 'meow.'_

_Derek didn't look amused. "Stiles, we can't keep her."_

"_Come on Derek, she needs a family!"_

"_We'll take her to the human society tomorrow; she'll have a family there."_

"_How about I just take you to the human society, huh? How would you like that, huh? 'Yes, I found this werewolf here, I think he's house broken and he comes to you by the name of Derek.'"_

"_I'm not a dog Stiles."_

"_Really? You sure do beg a lot at night. 'Stiles! Oh, Stiles!'"_

"_Just for that, you're not getting any of this tonight, and you can't keep the kitten."_

"_Derek!"_

"_No."_

"_Please?"_

"_Decision is made." Derek walked out of the room, leaving Stiles and the kitten alone._

_Stiles turned the kitten around, "Don't worry little one, he'll come around before tomorrow. You need a name, I can't keep calling you 'little one' Hmm… let's see…" Stiles went silent, staring at the kitten, deep in thought. "Got it! Mila!" the little kitten purred, "I take that as a yes. Ok Mila, we have to win Derek over so he doesn't take you to the human society tomorrow. But first, let's go shopping."_

_Stiles places Mila in a box, placing her in passenger seat of his jeep. Ten minutes later, Stiles was parking in the parking lot of the local pet store._

"_Alright, you ready to go shopping? Come on." Stiles picks up the little Mila from the box and walked the short distance to the pet store._

"_Let's see, you need some food, a litter box and some toys. Ooo look at these!" Stiles rushes over to the collars and leases and animal beds. He picks up a bright blue collar, placing it around Mila's neck. "Perfect." After finding a collar, the excited teen walked over to the beds, picking out the fluffiest one. He set it in the cart, Mila instantly crawling into it and falling asleep, purring._

_Stiles quickly finished his shopping, buying three different kinds of food, litter and dozens of toys. He checked out and made his way back to his jeep, carefully placing Mila, still asleep, in the passenger's side of his jeep and heading home._

"What did Derek do?"

"When he found out that I went shopping for Mila, he was not happy, but that night…"

"_You can't stay made at me forever." Stiles was sitting on the floor, playing with the bundle of energy. "You have to admit she's really cute, and this could be good, you know? I'll have company when you're out in the woods training." Stiles was met with silence as Derek continued to flip through the television stations. Stiles stands up, needing to grab something from the other room. "I have to grab something really quick, so can you just make sure she doesn't get into anything?" Receiving no answer, Stiles took that as a yes and left the room._

_Derek continued to mindlessly flip through the channels, ignoring the little kitten, until it walked over to the couch, staring up at him. The tough alpha tried ignoring it, but it started meowing and purring. Derek looked down. "What?" 'meow.' Derek rolled his eyes, focusing back on the television. 'meow' "What?" _

_The kitten stared up at Derek. Then, Mila jumped, almost making it up onto the couch, but getting her nails stuck into the couch. She was struggling to keep herself up, meowing._

_Derek rolled his eyes letingt out a sigh but never moving to help the kitten. 'Meow.' Little Mila started meowing frantically._

"Did he help her?"

Stiles smiles at the memory, while Derek believed that he was in the other room, Stiles was actually standing in the doorway, watching. "Yeah, he helped her eventually."

_Derek sighed again then leaned over the side of the couch to pick up the little kitten. He placed the kitten on the arm of the couch, by his head. Mila started to increase her purring, sounding like a helicopter coming in to land. She walked back and forth, then stopping to place her paws on Derek's head, no response from the annoyed alpha._

_Not satisfied, Mila walked off of the arm of the couch, rubbing against Derek's face, to his chest and sitting down, facing Derek._

"_What?"_

'_Meow.' The little kitten brought her face up to Derek's, light blue eyes meeting dark blue ones, and her pink tongue came out, licking Derek's nose. Derek's face grew dark, then, a chuckle could be heard and a smile in his voice._

"_Come here." Derek picks up little Mila, cuddling her and having her lay on his chest. Soon, both Derek and Mila were fast asleep, both purring._

"It was the cutest thing ever, Mr. Big bad ass Derek Hale, sleeping with a little white fluff ball on his chest."

Nate was trying to hold back laughter. "W-wait, y-you mean… h-he…"

"Yeah."

"What happened when he woke up?"

_Derek woke up and noticed that the little fur ball was no longer resting on his chest. He frantically looked around, jumping off of the couch, lifting all the couch cushions and pillows. Laughter and Stiles' voice could be heard in the other room. Derek ran in the direction of the voice, stopping in the door way seeing that Stiles was holding Mila. Stiles looked up._

"_Derek, what's wrong?"_

_Derek tried to calm his breathing. "N-nothing, how long have I been asleep?"_

"_Two hours. Mila got hungry so I fed her. Now we're just looking through some pictures." A wide grin was now plastered on Stiles' face, telling Derek that he was up to something._

_Derek walked the rest of the way into the room, sitting down beside Stiles and pulling him close to his side. The alpha looked at the pictures Stiles was looking at and gulped._

"_This is my favorite picture." Stiles admitted._

"_W-where did you get this?"_

"_When you were asleep. It was too cute. Sour wolf actually is a softy for fluffy kittens. This is going in her photo album."_

"After more pleading, Derek allowed me to keep Mila. He had a soft spot for that little kitten, even though he tried to deny it in front of the others, but they all knew better, they all liked the picture too."

"You really had that man whipped."

"We were mates; he wanted to make me happy."

It was now dark out, "Hate to cut this short, but I have another place I have to be, but I'll be back tomorrow and we can finish talking ok?"

"Ok Nate, see you tomorrow."

Nate got up, grabbed his coat and headed to the door, only stopping when he heard Stiles' voice, he turned around.

"Nate."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Nate nodded and left, leaving Stiles to his thoughts, thinking about the pack and Derek and what they might be up to.

"I miss you Derek." Stiles whispered into the darkness, a single tear streaking down his face.

**This was my favorite chapter to write. Derek having a soft spot for a little white fluffy kitten is just too cute :D Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. First I planned on updating the story every Sunday, but after reading reviews, I just get excited and want to keep updating the story, but I'll resist, try to anyways. I think I'll have the next chapter up later this week; that means more stories about Stiles and the pack all those years ago; you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll laugh and cry at the same time.**

**Ok, enough rambling, I'm done…for now…I think…**

A light knocking could be heard on the door. "Come in. Hi Nate."

"Hello Stiles."

"What brings you here?"

"Just dropped by, wondering if you wanted to finish our talk?"

"Not today Nate, sorry."

"I-it's ok, I'll just come back later…"

"No, don't leave."

Nate walked fully into the room now, closing the door behind him. He found a seat, and sat, staring at Stiles.

"Nate… w-why did you actually come? You said you wanted to learn about werewolves, but I lived with werewolves for a while, and I know when someone isn't being completely honest."

"Stiles…"

"Please, just tell me the truth." Sadness could be seen in his eyes.

Swallowing, Nate began. "I-I was contacted by someone, they wanted to know about your whereabouts, they wouldn't give me a reason until after I found out some information. I immediately started my search and I stumbled upon some of your work, from your high school days. I became more attached than I should have, but after reading your essays and your reports about werewolves, I couldn't help but want to find you and actually talk to you about the topic."

"Someone contacted you? Who was it?"

"They never gave me their name."

"I know when you're lying."

"It was Derek."

"D-Derek? H-he, and…"

"Yes."

"Is everyone back?"

"Plus a few."

"Plus a few?"

"Lydia and Jackson and Allison and Scott had two children. The two ladies were pregnant when they left, that's the reason why they left."

"But there was a battle going on, how would they be protected?"

"Their mates made sure that they stayed out of the way, renting a house on the state's border."

"And they couldn't take me with them?"

"Derek's orders. He said it was safer for you to stay where you were."

"But Lydia and Allison were pregnant! We already had our children."

"That's why he wanted you to stay away, he knew that your kids would want to join in the battle, even if they were too young, their wolf halves would want to join their alpha in battle."

"Where are they?"

"What?"

"Where are they? The pack? I want to see them."

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

"Look Nate, if that is your _real _name," Stiles spat, "It has been thirty years, its been long enough, I want to see my family!"

Understanding Stiles, Nate grabs the keys in his pocket, heading towards the door, only to turn around, to look at Stiles. "Well are you coming or not?"

The old Stiles jumped out of his rocking chair, darting towards the door.

The two men were once again in Nate's car. Nate drove down the road a few miles, then turned on the dirt road, heading towards the Hale home.

"It's been so long; I'm surprised the path is still here." Stiles was looking out the window, taking in the forest for the first time in thirty years. "I haven't been back this road since the kids left, it was too painful to stay, I found another home but then I grew tired of being alone, so when I was 65, I found the retirement home and have lived there ever since." Just then, Stiles looked up, noticing the outline of the house in the distance.

Soon, Nate was parking the vehicle next to a midnight black camaro. Stiles took a shaky breath.

Nate notices, reaching over with his right hand to lie on Stiles' shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It's time Nate, its been too long." Stiles opened the door of the vehicle, stepping out. Nate walked around the vehicle, meeting Stiles.

The pack was too busy to notice the scent of Stiles or even hear the car pull up in the dirt path. A knocking rang throughout the house. "I'll get it!" Grace yelled.

Grace walked to the front door, opening it, revealing an older gentleman standing beside Nate. "Hi Nate, who's your friend?"

This was not expected. Stiles knew it had been a while since his children had seen him, but for them to completely forget who he was, was a surprise.

"Hi Grace. Um, is Derek here?"

"Yeah, DAD!" Grace shouts over her shoulder.

Shuffling could be heard behind the girl. Then, a tall figure could be seen. "Yeah? What is it Grace?"

"Nate has someone with him." Derek looked up, eye brows knitting together in confusion.

"Grace, umm, go to the kitchen." Grace followed her dad's orders, going into the kitchen. Derek stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind him.

"Nate, who's your friend?"

"You mean you don't know?"

Derek looked at the older gentleman standing beside Nate, trying to concentrate, remember those eyes…those eyes!

"STILES!" Derek picked his mate up, swinging him around joyfully, placing kisses on Stiles' cheek. The swinging stopped, and Derek placed Stiles on his feet. He leaned in, embracing his mate, sobbing into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry…"

"It's ok Derek."

"We, I, should have never left you alone."

Stiles broke the embrace to meet Derek's gaze, bringing one hand up to caress Derek's cheek. "I understand, don't blame yourself, the pack was in danger, I know why you didn't want me to come and find you."

"I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too Derek, just promise me that you won't leave me again, ever."

"I won't Stiles, I promise, never again."

"Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go inside now? I want to meet the others."

Derek leaned down, kissing Stiles on the lips for the first time in thirty years. "Yeah, lets go inside."

"I'm just going to go; there is a lot of catching up to do. See you guys later."

"Nate, no, you helped us become reunited again, stay." Stiles insisted.

"No, I'll just go…"

"Nonsense, stay."

Derek nodded, and Nate decided to take up the offer, wanting to learn more about the pack.

The three men made their way into the house, and walked to the kitchen, where the rest of the pack was sitting and chatting, only stopping when they noticed Nate, Derek and the unknown man walk in.

They all looked the same, Scott, Allison, Lydia, Danny, Jackson they all looked the same as they did thirty years prior. Then there were the kids, Grace and Evan looked a little bit older, but still the same. The other four were unknown to Stiles, but he figured they were the other's pups.

"Hey dad..." Evan noticed the third gentleman standing beside Derek. "Who's…" Evan ran up to Stiles, giving him a huge hug. "It is you, he's back!"

The others stared, not knowing who the 'he' was. "Evan, do you know this man?" Allison asks.

Evan turned around in disbelief. "You mean that you don't?" The others shared puzzled looks before looking back at Evan. "Are you guys serious? Look closer!"

One by one, the pack made their way to the older man, taking in his scent, and his appearance. They all stopped. "STILES!" Each member pounced on Stiles, hugging him, asking what he has been up to and saying sorry.

"Guys, its fine, I'm fine, nothing much… no… I know I look old…thirty years…"

Derek let out a growl, signaling to his pack that they needed to calm down and have Stiles have some space.

"Sorry." Each pack member said at once.

"Look, Stiles just got here, it has been a while since our pack has been together, we'll get caught up later, but right now, Stiles and I have some business to take care of."

"Dad!"

Derek turned around, giving the others a mischievous smile, Stiles blushing. Derek and Stiles made their way to their bedroom.

"Where are those two going?" A confused Nate asked, never receiving an answer, only smiles from the others.

An hour later, Derek and Stiles made their way back downstairs to find the others outside on the patio.

"Why are you guys sitting out here?" Stiles says, looking at the others.

"Too loud in the house."

Stiles blushes, Derek pulling him closer, kissing Stiles' head.

"Even after thirty years, looks like Stiles still has it." Jackson, still with a god's body, called out, only getting punched in the arm and a moan of disgust from the others.

"At least I don't need wolfy powers to keep up this body." Stiles retorted, hearing snickering from his best friend. "It's true!"

"What ever you say Stiles." Scott replied.

"What are we going to eat? I'm starving."

"Still hungry after…" Derek shot Jackson a glare, eyes flashing crimson. "When aren't you hungry Stiles?"

"Let me tell you, Stiles here, the other day when I took him to the burger joint, almost made the place shut down because of the food he consumed. Was he always like that?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, he eats ten times more than the wolves in our pack." Scott chuckled.

"Come on guys! I don't eat _that_ mu… never mind."

Laughter filled the air. "Let's get something to eat, Stiles is hungry." Scott walked up to his friend, embracing him. "Welcome home Stiles."

**Finally Stiles and the pack are reunited! Woohoo!**


	6. Chapter 6

The Hale pack, plus Nate, sat at the table, passing the food around. Allison was the first to speak. "Stiles, what have you been up to all these years?"

Everyone's head snapped up, looking between Allison and Stiles. Stiles laid his fork on the table, staring at every one. Everyone went silent.

"You know, just doing my thing. I wondered around, found another house, but didn't like being alone, so I found this nice retirement home about ten years ago and have been living there ever since."

"A retirement home?" Scott choked on his food.

"Yes, Scott, a retirement home, there are plenty activities there to keep me busy."

"You, you just don't seem like the type…"

"Well, what can I say? When you're left alone for thirty years, you change."

Trying to change the topic quickly, Lydia spoke up. "Stiles, we never introduced you to your nieces and nephews. Sitting by Jackson is Cole and sitting to my right is Willow." The two nodded at Stiles, Stiles doing the same back.

"This here is Bryn and that's her sister over there, Sky." The two sisters nodded, getting the same from Stiles.

"Well that's not awkward at all." Scott said, looking down at his plate.

"What do you expect Scott? No one has seen me in thirty years and the newest members don't know me."

Lydia spoke up again, trying to change the topic, but it didn't work, Stiles started on a rampage.

"Thirty years I have waited for you guys, thirty years! You all want to act as if nothing has changed, but in reality, everything has changed! I'm not the same guy I was back then. I had to learn how to be on my own after you all left. Do you know what that is like? One day I'm surrounded by all of you and the next, you all just disappear, leaving me to fend for myself. What would have happened if another pack came into the area and found me, huh? What would you guys do then? What would you do if they killed me?"

"Stiles…"

"No, let me finish. You all left me, heartbroken and worried all those years; not sending me any news about your whereabouts or if you guys were ok. I got nothing." Stiles turned to Derek. "And you, you could have sent for me. I was willing to take the bite but you were too afraid. I knew what I was getting myself into when everything first happened. Don't you think I was in more danger being a human than you turning me? To you, I was too fragile to run with the pack and train with them, but I managed to tuff it out, a little scratch never hurt anyone."

"Stiles."

"No, no more excuses Derek, you left me, thirty years you left me. It's going to take a long time before things go back to how they were all those years ago. Nate, come on, let's go."

Stiles walked over towards the front door, reaching out to grab the door knob.

"Stiles, where are you going?"

"Back home? Where else would I go?"

"Here."

"Why would I stay here?" Stiles shouted.

Derek looked dumbfounded. "Why wouldn't you stay here? You belong here, with us, with me."

"It's been thirty years Derek; do you know what being separated for thirty years was like for me?"

"That's why I want you to stay, I can't loose you again." Derek was pleading with his eyes, begging Stiles not to leave.

"Everyone left me Derek, I know that it was because of the other packs in the area, but you could have sent someone or something to me, letting me know where to go to be with the pack. Did you not just pay attention at what I said in there?"

"Yes, I did, but, it was too dangerous Stiles."

"Don't give me 'it was too dangerous' shit, I chose this life, I knew the risks, you should have sent for me, but instead, you left me, thirty years you left me!" Stiles started to break down, falling to the floor, hands covering his face as he sobbed. Derek knelt down beside him, pulling him close. "You don't know what it was like Derek, all those years. Waiting, not knowing if you or the others were ok."

"But we're here now. We're not going to leave you again."

"Dad?" Grace was at the other end of the hallway, looking at her two dads, Evan was right behind her. Seeing their dads on the ground, crying, they made their way to them, kneeling beside Derek and Stiles.

"I'm just gonna… yeah…" Nate left, trying not to disturb the family moment.

Stiles looked up, blinking away tears. It was the first time that he was able to get a closer look at his two children. Grace looked just like his mother, long curly brunette hair, covering brown pools. Then there was Evan, he looked so much like Derek; the dark hair and those light blue eyes that would turn into electricity.

For the first time, the newly reunited family embraced each other. The group got off of the floor, making their way to the living room to catch up.

"…so then, then he slammed Scott and Jackson both into the tree! Their faces were priceless!"

"Sounds like you guys had fun."

"Sometimes, most of the time we were battling the other packs 'til the wee hours of the morning; we almost lost dad."

"What?"

"Thanks Evan. Stiles it was nothing, just some of the local hunters…"

"DEREK! They could have killed you!"

"But, they didn't, Allison called her father and he came and helped us." _'Shit'_

"He went to you guys?"

"Not exactly… I mean we called him for help and he…" Stiles shot Derek a 'don't lie to me look' "ok, yeah he came to us to help." Derek hung his head low in shame.

Stiles stood, Derek following his action. "I-I think it's time for bed." Stiles walked out of the room, walked up the stairs and went to a room. The house shook from the slamming of the door, also awaking the others, who went to bed after Stiles' rampage.

Doors could be heard opening as the Pack walked down stairs to find their alpha.

"What's going on?" Allison asked sleepily. Scott and the others were following behind her.

"Pack meeting. Now." Derek said through gritted teeth as the others piled into the living room, waiting for their alpha to speak.

"We have to make Stiles feel as part of the pack again."

"He's always been a part of the pack…" Scott replies.

"Yes, but he doesn't feel like it, we have to do something."

"Turn him." Lydia blurted out. Derek's eyes flashed red.

"What!"

"Turn. Him. It's the only way. Allison and I were with him for a few years before we left. He wants to be turned Derek."

"It'll kill him; his body won't be strong enough now to live through the bite."

"That's what you said last time, it needs to be done, our pack won't be the same if we just allow him to stay human and die way before us."

"Lydia has a point. If you don't turn Stiles now, and he dies because of his age, our pack will suffer; it suffered all those years being away from him." Allison spoke up.

Derek looked to his children. "Dad, you have to do it, we have to make up for lost time and we'll have centuries to do so." Grace was the voice of reason, always thinking ahead.

"Grace is right dad."

Tears were threatening to fall, but Derek nodded in agreement. The Pack stood, walking towards Derek, touching him to have some contact, showing their support of the decision.

Derek left the room, going to the stairs and started walking up them to the room where Stiles was asleep. Derek opened the door, looking in.

Stiles was asleep on the mattress in the middle of the room; the blinds of the window gently blowing in the wind and the moonlight caressing Stiles' cheek. Derek walked over towards the bed, sitting on the edge and turning to look at the older man Stiles had become. The alpha brought his hand up, stroking Stiles' cheek lovingly; Stiles fell into the touch.

"I love you so much Stiles." Derek whispers, leaning down to kiss Stiles' forehead. '_Derek_' could be heard leaving the man's lips. Derek continues to stroke Stiles' cheek. Sleepily, brown eyes open, staring into the eyes that he loves so much, that he missed all those years.

"Hey" Derek mouths.

"Hey." Stiles replies.

"Stiles…"

"I'm sorry about earlier. It's, it's just th-"

"I know." Stiles smiles, lifting himself up to eye level with his mate. Stiles brings their lips together. They part only touching foreheads, the two men stare tenderly at each other.

"I love you." Derek whispers over Stiles' lips.

Stiles has waited to hear those words for an eternity. "I love you too." He whispers back, taking Derek's lips again.

After a few moments, the kiss was broken, the reunited lovers once more looking into each other's eyes.

"Stiles, I love you so much and I should have done this a long time ago, but I was afraid, afraid of loosing you." Stiles was listening to each word, knowing where Derek was going, but wanted him to say it out loud. "Stiles, if, if you still want, I mean..." Derek paused, sighing. "I'll give you the bite."

Stiles averted his eyes, smiling. "So you're into old wrinkly men then?" Derek laughs, bringing his arms around Stiles, pulling him closer.

The door to the room was nudged opened; Grace and Evan poking their heads in. Derek and Stiles smiled at their kids. Stiles nodded his head, allowing them to come into the room. Grace and Evan jumped on the bed, snuggling close to their two fathers. Stiles, Derek, Evan and Grace fell asleep together in a dog pile, feeling complete for the first time in over three decades.

The early morning light kissed the faces of the sleeping beings. Derek was the first one up. He carefully got off of the bed, heading down the hallway to check on the rest of his pack. Derek opened the door leading to Scott and Allison's room first. He smiled seeing the beta half way off the bed, a pool of drool surrounding his face. Allison was on the other side of the bed, deep in sleep, a true sleeping beauty. Next, Derek made his way to Lydia and Jackson's room. Jackson was lying on his stomach with Lydia lying on top of him.

Danny had a room all to himself. The tan teen had fallen asleep on the floor with pillows and blankets thrown about the room carelessly.

Derek closed the door, going to the room that belonged to the youngest members. Sky, Bryn, Willow and Cole were also in a dog pile.

Derek closed the door behind him, making his way to the stairs. Once downstairs, Derek wanted to go for a run, but after fighting side-by-side with his pack, he decided that he would wait until they all could go together, even Stiles.

The alpha decided that today would be the day that he would turn Stiles, since it was also the full moon. He would have the pack prepare a feast and celebrate not only the reunion of the pack but Stiles becoming more like them.


	7. Chapter 7

"I want this place to be spotless. I want tons of food, decorations, music. Go." Derek gave his orders for the day's festivities. He wanted this to be perfect, this wasn't just 'creating' a new werewolf, _this_ was Stiles. Everything had to be perfect.

Stiles was still in bed sleeping when Derek came into the room with some food items. Derek sat them on the bedside table, gently shaking Stiles into the conscious world.

"Stiles, hey, time to wake up."

Stiles groaned, rolling over to hide his face in the covers. "Five more minutes."

"Come on Stiles, it's time to wake up, I brought food." Stiles opened one eye, looking to see if Derek was lying to him, but sure enough, he smelt and saw the food sitting right next to him. He groggily sat up, swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.

"What are you doing?" Derek's voice laced with confusion.

"What? I have to-_crack_-do this-_pop_-every morning,-_crack_- unlike some people-_crack_-who do not age,-_crack_- ever. –_crack_-" Stiles stretching and cracking his body into place.

"Feel better?"

"Much." Stiles smiles, beaming at Derek. Stiles looks over at the food on the night stand. "My favorite!" Derek smiles.

Stiles grabs the tray with eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast and orange juice, sits back down on the bed and starts to shovel the food into his mouth, finishing eating in less than a minute. After finishing his food, Stiles looks up at Derek.

"What?"

"Nothing, just, just remembering things." Derek informs Stiles.

"Like what?"

Derek is still staring at Stiles, then, shakes his head, "Nothing, never mind. Come on, we have stuff to do before dark."

"Stuff? Tell me!"

"You'll find out soon enough, go take a shower and come down stairs." Derek turns to leave, but Stiles stops him, Derek turns around.

"Stay." Stiles closes the distance between them, lifting himself up on his tiptoes to bring their lips together.

oOo

Downstairs, the others were preparing for the festivities that would take place when the moon is full.

"Danny can you grab me the mop?" Jackson requests.

"Yeah, got it, here you go." Danny hands over the mop, giving it to Jackson and stepping out of the way of his friend.

Lydia walks into the kitchen, carrying bags over flowing with food, setting them on the counter, mumbling to herself. "The nerve, what a scumbag, if I wasn't in public I would have..."

"Lydia?" Lydia turns around to look at Danny. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. Jackson!" Jackson was trying to snatch some of the goodies, but Lydia was too fast, slapping away his hand.

"Ouch! Hey!"

"This food is for later. Allison!"

Allison comes marching into the room. "Yes Lydia?"

"Ready to cook?"

"Sure am. What are we making?"

"All of Stiles' favorite foods." The two girls started to prepare and cook the food for the evening's events. Every once and I awhile, they would have to smack grabby hands away from the food.

Jackson, Scott and Danny were still cleaning the house while the younger pack members were outside decorating the area where Stiles would be turned. The cousins went to the clearing just behind the Hale home, hanging party lights and scattering fake fall leaves on the ground. They all stepped back, admiring their work.

"It's beautiful." Sky, the youngest, gasped in amazement.

"Sure is, I think our dads will like it." Grace said, Evan coming up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I can't wait 'til tonight, finally after all these years." Evan spoke. He brought his sister into a hug, admiring the scenery displayed in front of them.

"Let's go inside and see if the others need help." Bryn suggested, the others followed behind her. Back inside, the cousins were put to work with helping with the preparing of the food, except the alpha's children, they went upstairs, searching for their fathers. The two children quickly found Derek and Stiles, poking their heads into the room.

"Dad?" Derek looked up at Grace. "We're, uh, done with that stuff you wanted us to do."

"Thanks." Derek could feel Stiles shift in his grasp, looking up.

"What stuff?" Stiles questions.

"You'll see soon enough."

"Come on, just tell me, please?"

"You'll see later." Stiles lets out a huff in defeat. Grace and Evan were still standing in the door way. Derek looks up at them. "You guys can come in." The boy and girl smiled, making their way to the bed, plopping down.

Stiles takes in the sight of his children again, tears starting to well up in his eyes. The three notice, quickly coming to Stiles' aid.

"Stiles? What's wrong?" Derek starts to rub Stiles' back soothingly.

Through the escaped tears, Stiles speaks. "I've just missed you guys so much." With that, Stiles was bombarded with warmth from the others hugging him. There was a shift in the breeze, breaking the moment between the family; Derek, Grace and Evan's eyes glowing.

"It's time." Derek said.

"Time for what?" Stiles asks, confused.

Evan and Grace smile, getting off of the bed, running downstairs.

"Derek what's going on?"

"Come on, I'll show you." Derek and Stiles get off of the bed, walking downstairs; when downstairs, Stiles is greeted by the pack gathered outside on the patio. The sun was now beyond the horizon, allowing her sister come out, dimly lighting the world below. The pack plus Nate, invited to the ceremony since he was the one to find and reunite the pack, remained silent as Derek and Stiles made their way outside. Derek stopped, Stiles turning around to face him.

"Stiles, this should have been done a long time ago, but it wasn't, and now I'm going to make things right." Derek took Stiles' hand, leading him to the center of the clearing. Derek turned to face the pack.

"We're all here tonight to bring another being into this pack. Stiles has always been part of the pack, but tonight, tonight he'll become one of us, making the pack complete." Derek looked back at Stiles. "Are you ready?"

"Ready? Ready for… oh! Yeah, I've been ready!" Stiles threw his head to the side, baring his neck, allowing Derek full access to his neck, to do as he pleased. Derek closed the distance between them, elongating his teeth. He brought his face to where neck and shoulder connected, sniffing, licking and eventually biting, claiming his mate again, and allowing the infection go through the other man's system.

"STILES!" everything went black, silence encompassed Stiles as he feel to the cold, unforgiving earth.

oOo

"Mr. Hale, can I speak to you for a second?"

Derek stopped pacing back and forth and followed the doctor. Derek looked nervously at him.

"I-is he going to be ok?"

"We still have him sedated due to the pain and he's still really weak from the amount of blood that he lost. Derek," the doctor hushed his voice, not wanting others to hear, "why did you bite him? He's not a young man anymore, this could have killed him, hell it practically did."

"I-I just…" Derek ran his hand through his hair, holding back tears.

"Try not to be so careless next time. Ok?"

Derek nods, "C-can I see him?"

"Yeah you can go in."

Derek walks the short distance down the hall to the room containing the motionless, sleeping body that is Stiles. Derek pulls up a seat, sitting beside his sleeping mate, grabbing hold of his hand.

"I'm so sorry Stiles." Derek looses control and allows the tears to flow freely. The alpha brings Stiles' hand up to his lips, kissing it.

"_Derek_." A whisper left Stiles' lips, greeting Derek's ears. The alpha looked up, but noticed that the brown eyed man was still asleep.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, Stiles was still in a coma. Derek hadn't bothered to leave his mate's side, arguing with his pack, refusing only to eat when the doctor would come in and force him to.

Scott popped his head in the door, "Hey how is he?"

Derek didn't bother to look up. "Still the same."

Scott pulled up a chair next to his alpha. "He'll be fine, Stiles is a fighter, always was and still is."

"What if he doesn't Scott, this is my fault."

Over the years, Scott and Derek grew closer because of their one similarity, Stiles. Scott would tell Derek of all the adventures that he and Stiles had gotten into throughout the years; Derek would listen, fascinated, intrigued by the stories, wishing on some level that he could have been there. Wishing that he could have met Stiles' mother, see the Sheriff actually smile and laugh without a care in the world, wishing that he could have seen Stiles complete.

"He'll make it Derek, just have some faith."

oOo

"Derek, I brought you some food." Lydia came through the door, carrying a take out food bag.

"I don't want anything."

"You need to eat. I brought you your favorite."

"No thanks."

Lydia walks over to Derek, who had bags under his eyes due to the lack of sleep the last couple of months. Lydia takes in his appearance "Maybe you should sleep?"

"No!" Derek snaps.

"Look, he may be your mate, but you're not the only one hurting. The pack refuses to leave the waiting area, so we're constantly being kicked out so that other people can sit out there. We barely get any sleep and we don't eat much. Grace and Evan are the worst. They need you Derek."

"Stiles needs me."

"We all need you Derek. Now, I am going to put this food right here and when I send Grace and Evan back, you better be stuffing your face." Lydia left the room, going to tell Grace and Evan to go back to their parents.

Evan and Grace walked into the room and noticed that their conscious father was eating for the first time in a week. Derek looks up. "Lydia."

"We know. So how is pop?" Evan questions, sitting on one of the chairs while Grace sits on the edge of the bed by Stiles' feet. The beeping of the heart monitor could be heard.

"Unconscious, but still alive." Derek replies, swallowing his last bite of food.

"Has the doctor come in and talked to you about anything?" Grace asks, her hand placed on Stiles' leg.

"He came in here, but he says there isn't anything new."

An annoying beeping sound could be heard. Derek, Grace and Evan frantically looked around the room in search of the awful sound. There, there they noticed the heart monitor flat lined.

"CODE BLUE! ROOM 125! ALL STAFF CODE BLUE 125!"

Derek was hovering about Stiles, talking at him. "Stiles, Stiles…Stiles…" Derek was pulled from Stiles' side, taken out into the hallway where the others were waiting. Derek fell to the ground.

Nurses were running in and out of the room with machines. Silence blanketed the group and staff.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I hated doing this to Stiles, but I think it had to be done. Stiles was always the one getting hurt or left behind, now the shoe is on the other foot. **

**Song: 'Remember When' by Alan Jackson**

"No!" Grace spun around, burying her face into Evan's chest.

"I-I'm sorry, we tried everything that we could."

"No! He-he can't be, he's not…!" Allison cried out.

"I'll let you say your good-byes." The doctor walked off down the hallway, the nurses coming out of the room and disappearing as well.

With trembling feet, Derek stood, walking into the room containing his mate. Stiles looked so small, so fragile, so peaceful. The heart broken Derek walked over to the bed, falling on the floor beside the bed, sobbing. His pack filed into the room, Grace and Evan making their way to the side of the bed, tears flowing freely.

Derek reached up, grabbing Stiles' cold hand, bringing it to his lips again, kissing it. "I'm so sorry." He choked. "I'm so sorry."

Scott inched closer; reaching his hand out to touch Derek's back, then leaving the room. The others did the same, walking towards their alpha, laying a hand on his back, and then leaving. Soon enough it was just Derek, Grace, Evan and the lifeless Stiles left in the room.

"There are things to be done." Evan broke the silence. Derek looked up at his two children, nodding, standing up, giving Stiles' hand one last kiss before leaving the room.

The car ride home was silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts, sniffling and wiping away escaped tears. Soon, Derek was parking the camaro in the dirt path, stepping out and heading to the house. Scott, Allison, Lydia, Jackson and Danny and the children were in the living room, sitting, not talking, tears also escaping. Derek by-passed them, heading to his room.

Grief stricken, Derek walked over to the bed, which Stiles slept in only a few months prior, his scent still lingered. The alpha grabbed a pillow, bringing up to his face, sniffing it for his mate's scent. He lay down, drifting to sleep.

_The bright sun was hanging in the sky, kissing his face with its warmth. Derek was standing by a lake, looking out across the water. He decided to explore the unfamiliar place. After a few minutes, the alpha saw a figure in the distance, sitting on the ground, looking out at the landscape in front of them. Derek approached cautiously until he saw the features of the person. It was Stiles. Derek ran up to him._

"_Stiles!" Stiles turned his head, looking at the man approaching him, a smile on his face. _

"_Derek."_

"_Stiles, I-I thought…how?"_

"_Sit, we have to talk." Derek sat next to the man. Stiles had his youth back, the pools of brown eyes sparkling with life, his hair back to brown, the crooked smile, everything was the same. "Derek," Stiles began._

"_Stiles, I am so sorry, I shouldn't have tried to turn you, you would still be alive…"_

"_Shh… Derek, it's not your fault, I wanted it. Don't you dare blame yourself."_

"_I should have done it a long time ago, but I was scared of loosing you, but now, look, I've lost you anyways." Stiles brought his hand up to Derek's cheek. _

"_My sweet, loving, idiotic Derek, a lot of things could have been different, and should have been different, but this was my destiny, my fate. Don't cry over me, celebrate the life that I lived. I love you so much Derek, I don't want you to ever forget that ok?" Derek nods._

"_I love you too Stiles."_

_Stiles gets up from his position on the rock, reaching out his hand for Derek to grab. Derek grabs it gets up and walks with Stiles._

"_It's so peaceful here." Derek says._

"_Yeah, it is."_

_Derek stops, making Stiles turn around to face him._

"_Derek?"_

"_Stiles, h-how am I going to live on without you?"_

"_Without me? Derek, you have been living without me for the past three decades, I think you can manage. Plus, although I may not be physically walking around, I'm always here, I'll still be with you, always."_

_Derek averted his eyes, a single tear running down his face._

"_Hey, shhh, I'm fine here and you are going to be fine too." Stiles caresses Derek's cheek, bringing their lips together. Stiles and Derek continue walking, finding a spot to sit down on the green grass._

_Another figure approached the two men, it was a woman. "Hello Derek." Derek looked up, mouth agape at the figure in front of him. _

"_Mrs. Stilinski?"_

"_Call me April. Stiles, can I talk to Derek here for a moment?"_

"_Sure mom." Stiles stands up, walking over to his mother, kissing her cheek, she smiles and sits beside Derek._

"_April, I am so sorry, I should…"_

"_Derek, no need to apologize. You did nothing wrong other than by not. turning. him. sooner." April hit Derek, emphasizing her words. A tear escaping and running down Derek's face. "Derek, don't cry."_

"_The love of my life, my mate, is gone and it's all my fault."_

"_Derek, its not your fault, things should have been different but this was his destiny, it was meant to be."_

"_What am I going to do without him?"_

"_It won't be easy." April looks in the distance, "Derek, its time for you to go, don't loose your faith." April walks off, leaving Derek alone._

"_Wait!" The world went black._

Derek woke up, tears streaming down his face. He notices that he is in his and Stiles' room. The alpha gets up, walks out of the bedroom and makes his way down the stairs to the living room. The pack was sitting on the furniture, silence surrounding them.

Scott and Jackson were the ones to notice Derek standing in the doorway and stood up immediately and walking over to Derek to embrace him.

oOo

It did not take Derek and his pack to make arrangements for Stiles' funeral. A few years ago, Stiles had planned everything out, so all Derek and the others had to do now was to follow through with Stiles' arrangement.

The whole pack was dressed in black from head to toe. Together they walked into the funeral home, only to be greeted by Stiles' casket and a video playing.

The video had a dozen or more photos of Stiles when he was growing up, with the other pack members, his children and Derek; the song 'Remember When' playing.

_Remember when I was young and so were you  
>and time stood still and love was all we knew<em>

A picture of Stiles in Derek's arms, smiling as Derek kissed his neck.

_You were the first, so was I  
>We made love and then you cried<br>Remember when_

_Remember when we vowed the vows  
>and walked the walk<em>

Stiles and Derek were surrounded by the other pack members in a church. Lydia and Allison standing beside Stiles and Jackson, Scott and Danny standing beside Derek. Stiles had his hands in Derek's, looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Stiles' father and Scott's mother sitting in the first row pews, holding each other.

_Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard  
>We lived and learned, life threw curves<br>There was joy, there was hurt  
>Remember when<em>

_Remember when old ones died and new were born  
>And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged<br>We came together, fell apart  
>And broke each other's hearts<br>Remember when_

_Remember when the sound of little feet  
>was the music<br>_

Stiles, Derek and the other pack members where in the living room, toys scattered throughout the room. Stiles had his feet sprawled out with his hands beside a baby while Derek was a foot away, encouraging the little baby to take a few steps.

_We danced to week to week  
>Brought back the love, we found trust<br>Vowed we'd never give it up  
>Remember when<em>

_Remember when thirty seemed so old  
>Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone<br>To where we are,  
>Where we've been<br>Said we'd do it all again  
>Remember when<em>

_Remember when we said when we turned gray  
>When the children grow up and move away<br>We won't be sad, we'll be glad  
>For all the life we've had<br>And we'll remember when_

The video ended with a picture of the whole pack, Stiles in the middle with Derek's arms around him, all smiles. The picture faded to black, the pack stood, staring at the screen, wiping away tears, holding onto one another.

**This was a difficult chapter to write just because of the whole funeral thing. When I wrote this, it was during the week of my grandfather's passing. I can't help but to tear up when rereading this to make sure everything is how I want it.**

**I'm truly sorry for doing this to Stiles, but again, I think it needed to be done; just please don't kill me. **

**There are only two chapters left and they're both tear jerkers, well I think anyways.**

**Thanks for all the alerts and for reading my stories!**

**~boobtube1938**


	9. Chapter 9

**I was really bored so I figured I would post this chapter. Enjoy.**

The ceremony lasted about an hour; each pack member stood up in front of the group, sharing some of their favorite moments with Stiles.

"He was so loyal and would do anything to help others, even if it meant that he would get hurt. He was my best friend, but most importantly, he was my brother." Scott turns to face the casket, tears escaping, and then turns back to face the others, only to walk back to his seat and sits down.

Allison and Lydia were leaning on their mates, tears soaking through the cloth. Derek sat in his chair, unmoving. Evan, hesitantly, gets up from his seat and stands in front of the pack, he begins to talk.

"Stiles Hale: a son, a brother, a lover, but most importantly, my father. I remember when Grace and I were younger. When dad was out, pop would allow us to eat whatever we wanted and allowed us to trash the place with all of our toys, but my favorite memory of pop was when…"

"_Evan are you ready?" running feet could be heard above as the child raced down the stairs and out to the downstairs hallway._

"_Ready daddy." Evan said, behind blankets and pillows._

"_Ok, let's go."_

_It was the weekly daddy-child time. It was Grace's turn spending time with Derek and Evan had Stiles._

_Stiles and his son grabbed their blankets, pillows, snacks and drinks and headed outside._

"_Right here daddy? Is this the place?"_

"_Yeah little man. Ok, let's get started." Stiles placed his supplies down to help his little boy with building a tent. After twenty minutes, Stiles and Evan had a tent in place and a designated area for their snacks, drinks, flashlights, pillows and blankets._

_The father and son crawled their way into the tent. Stiles and Evan sitting cross-legged, facing each other._

"…_and the big scawwy monster came out and, and he, he was like 'rawr!'" Evan emphasized the 'rawr' by lifting his arms up, curling his fingers as if they were claws, waddling his way towards his father and attacking him. "The monster got you daddy!"_

_Stiles held onto his little boy. "Ahhh! Not for long!" Stiles started tickling Evan, who let out a high pitched squeal._

"He always knew how to have fun." Evan sat down without another word. It was Derek's turn to speak. He stood up, legs unsteady, feeling as if he was someone else, as if this was a dream and he just happened to be in someone else's body. Derek reached the front, grasped on to the podium, taking deep breaths to calm himself. His eyes red, face streaked with tears.

"S-Stiles…"

"_Hey Derek, come in, Stiles is upstairs still getting ready."_

"_Thanks Sheriff." Derek steps into the Stilinski home._

"_Stiles! Derek's here!" A few thumps could be heard from the upstairs bedroom and a muffled 'umf!' Derek and the Sheriff smile. "So what are you two going to do tonight?" Stiles' father asks, turning to face Derek again._

"_Don't know, Stiles wanted to pick what we are going to do tonight." Before Mr. Stilinski could talk, Stiles began walking down the stairs to greet Derek, but midway down he stumbled and tumbled the rest of the way down the stairs. He landed on his back and quickly shot up from the floor, wiping the dirt off of his shirt. _

"_Ok, let's go."_

Another memory flashes in Derek's mind.

_It was Stiles' and Derek's wedding day. Scott and Jackson stood beside their alpha, talking to him, calming his nerves. Scott reached his arms up and helped Derek tie his bowtie. _

_Allison, Lydia and Danny were helping Stiles. A knock was at the door, Stiles' father opened the door just enough to stick his head through. "Five minutes son."_

_Stiles nodded, too nervous to talk. "Allison, Lydia, Danny, c-can I have a moment with my dad?" The three nodded, walking past Stiles' father, leaving the two alone. Mr. Stilinski made his way into the room, shutting the door._

"_What's up son?" Stiles walked up to his father, hugging him, tears escaping._

"_I wish mom was here."_

_Sheriff Stilinski rubbed the back of Stiles' head. "She is Stiles, she is. She would be so proud of you; she would have loved Derek. I'm proud of you son, love you always."_

"_Love you too dad." _

_The father and son moment was cut short when yelling could be heard outside of the door. "Derek! You can't go in there! Derek!" The door started to open, but Stiles rushed over, stopping the door from opening completely._

"_Derek, what are you doing?"_

"_Stiles, are you ok? I-I…"_

"_I'm fine Derek." Stiles placed the palms of his hands on the door, leaning his forehead against it. "Never better." Unknowingly, Derek, on the other side of the door, was in the same position: both palms flat against the door, forehead leaning against the door as well._

"_Stiles?"_

"_Yeah Derek?"_

"_I love you."_

"_Love you too Derek."_

Derek continues to stand in front of the group, not talking, but the others know.

_Stiles and Derek were packing the camaro for their trip they were going on._

"_So you two just decided to take a road trip last night and are going to leave for god knows how long to god knows where?" Scott asked._

_Stiles did not stop walking back and forth from the house, hands full of supplies. "Yes Scott, Derek and I are going on a road trip."_

"_B-but you can't j-just leave."_

_Stiles stopped, "Scott, Derek and I just want to explore a little, we're not going to be gone long, you know Derek can't stay away from the pack for long periods of times, but we will be back Scott."_

_Derek came out of the house, carrying the last few items and placing them into the car. "You ready Stiles?"_

"_Yeah Derek, let's go." Stiles hopped into the passenger side seat, waiting for Derek._

"_Derek?"_

"_Scott, Lydia and Allison are in charge of the house while you are substitute alpha while I'm gone. Don't mess this up." Derek got inside the car, shut the door and sped off; Scott was left standing in the dust, mouth agape, then ran inside to brag to Jackson that Derek had left him in charge._

Derek finally moved to face the casket containing his mate. He placed his hand on the cold and lifeless face of Stiles, caressing it. "Stiles, I love you so much." A tear escapes and Derek leans down to kiss Stiles' lips. The alpha turns around, lifts his head into the air and lets out a grief stricken howl, the others joining their alpha, mourning the loss of a friend, pack mate, a father, a brother, a lover.

**Additional note: I was looking through my stories and noticed that I still need to finish Amusement Park, so I reread the story and I have not a clue on how to finish the story, so if anyone has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated if you could leave me a note with your idea.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews and alerts.**

**boobtube1938**


	10. Chapter 10

_A young man, early twenties, was sitting in a middle of a luscious green field, flower petals drifting on the wind; the young man aimlessly picking grass deep in thought._

_Laughter filled the air, children running about, frolicking through the field, living the life they barely had on earth._

_Lily, long curly blond hair and electrifying blue eyes, ran up to the man sitting in the middle of the field. She approaches cautiously, not wanting her prey to notice her. When she was close enough, she pounces, latching onto the back of the man._

"_I got you!" Lily smiles, laughing at the person her arms wrapped around._

"_Is that right?" Stiles grabs the little girl's arm, swinging her so she's in front of him and starts tickling her._

"_No!" The little girl giggles. "Stop it! 'Tiles!" Stiles brings the girl into a hug, kissing her forehead; too caught up with the girl's antics to notice the figure approaching them._

"_I see Lily has found you." Stiles looks over his shoulder, taking in the sight of his beloved mother in front of him, he smiles._

"_Yeah, she snuck up on me…again." Lily giggles when Stiles lightly taps her nose. April closes the distance between her and the other two and then sits on the warm, welcoming ground. Lily immediately jumps into April's lap and starts playing with the grass, just like Stiles had._

_April was brushing her fingers through the little girl's hair then leans down to whisper something into Lily's ear. After a few seconds, Lily gets up from April's lap and races towards where the other children were playing._

"_What did you tell her?"_

"_Oh nothing." Mrs. Stilinski smiles mischievously. Stiles raises his eyebrow, but then his focus is back to plucking grass._

"_All those years…"_

"_I know sweetie." Stiles' mother inches incredibly closer to her son, wrapping her arm over his shoulder and having his head rest on her shoulder._

"_I miss them so much."_

_April could feel a shift in the wind, she tightened her grip on her son; sighing. "Your dad and I love you very much; no matter what, we're by your side."_

"_Love you guys too, but isn't the 'whole by your side' thing irrelevant now?" howls echo through the peaceful silence. Stiles starts to break free of his mother's warm embrace. "Mom! What's happening?" Stiles shouts as a great distance is put in between his mother and him. _

_A single tear escapes, streaking April's flawless skin. "We'll always love you my darling."_

oOo

Derek and the others made their way back to the Hale home. They were greeted by an overflow of food that was left on the front porch. There was food and cards from people who had known Stiles' father, people from where Stiles had been living for the past ten years and others who had known him when he use to come into their diner at the same time every day. The alpha bypassed the items, walking inside and heading up to his room again.

"Derek?" Danny opened to door to the room, holding a phone in one hand. "Y-you have a phone call." The beta walked into the room, handing the phone over to his alpha and retreating back out of the room and back downstairs to the others.

"H-Hello?"

"Mr. Hale, this is Nancy from the retirement home, I'm so sorry for your loss. Stiles was a great man." Derek choked back a sob. "I know it's still early, but we still have some of Stiles' belongings..."

"I-I'll pick them up." Derek hung up the phone before the woman could reply, got up from the bed and walked downstairs to the front door.

"Dad? Where are you going?" Grace asks.

"I have to go get Stiles' stuff from his other home."

"I want to go." Grace said, reaching for her coat.

"Go where?" Evan, hearing his sister's and father's conversation, questions.

"Dad's going to pick up some of daddy's stuff."

"I want to go."

"Grace, Evan…" Lydia came out to the front room. "I think your dad wants to go alone." The children looked at their aunt then back at their father and nodded in understanding; Derek left for the retirement home.

oOo

"Mr. Hale?" A friendly voice cut through the silence and Derek's thoughts; Derek nodded without a word. "I'm so sorry for your loss. He was such a nice man; stubborn, but full of life and always getting into trouble." Nancy noticed that Derek wasn't looking at her, trying to hide his tears. "Come on, I'll take you to his room."

Nancy led Derek down a long and wide hallway, then stopping, turning to her left to open the door to the room. "I'll be at the front desk if you need anything." Nancy shut the door, leaving Derek alone.

Derek stood still, taking in the scene in front of him. The sunlight was shining through the drapes, bringing the room to life. The bed was made, clutter on the desk, the rocking chair facing the window and a box placed on it. The werewolf walked over to the chair, picked up the box and sat in the rocking chair. Derek ran his shaking hand over the top, and then opened the box, eyes swelling up with more tears.

In the box were dozens of photos: Stiles with Grace and Evan when they were growing up, more pictures of the pack at gatherings and pictures of a smiling Derek and a laughing Stiles. Derek carefully looked at each picture, remembering the day when each one was taken, the feelings that they felt, the laughs that were shared. When Derek looked at the last picture, he noticed letters that were written to him; letters that were never sent. Derek started to read them.

_Derek,_

_ You should really see your children, Grace acts more and more like you everyday. Yesterday, she decided that she would jump from the top of the stairs down to the first floor, Evan of course encouraged her. She jumped and broke her leg and arm before I even knew what was going on. They are quite the handful._

_ It has been about seven years since you left and it doesn't get any easier. I'm waiting for the day that you and the others come home safely to me. Until that day, I will wait for you and keep wishing on that star. Love you always_

_ Stiles_

Derek kept reading each letter, and then came across the last one.

_Dearest Derek,_

_ If you are reading this, it is probably because of my passing. Do not cry, for I am now in a better place and I can now see and be near you, even if it is only in the hereafter. Take care of the children and reassure them that their daddy is fine and that I love them and that I never stopped loving them. _

_ Over the years I have had time to think about everything. The day you and the others left broke my heart, I knew it had to be done, but I just wish that things could have been different. Not only did we miss out on being together over the years, but the missing of your children growing up, seeing who they were becoming, but I guess, in reality, it is I who has missed out. Not being able to see you all these years, every morning I wake up, feeling empty, incomplete and shattered. I wish you were there every morning, to kiss me into consciousness, to feel your warmth surrounding me; now it is just a ghost, something that I will always miss. You are my mate Derek, my one and only, my better half. I never stopped loving you, my dear, dear Derek. I hope that you will remember the amazing, yet extremely short time that we shared together, that is the only thing that has been keeping me going: the thought of you when we were together all those years ago and the hope of you returning home to me._

_ I want you to do me a favor, tell the others that I've missed them too over the years._

_To Grace and Evan, my beloved children, I've never been so proud of them. They did things that they weren't told to do, they knew that things had to be done. Take care of them Derek, hold onto them, don't ever let them go. I wish that I could have seen them in action, they'll make great betas and great fighters, as much as I hate the idea of them fighting, I know that they'll succeed and kick some hunter ass._

_Tell Scott, Jackson and Danny thank-you for leaving their left over food under their beds. I really enjoyed picking that up after two months being there. I think it growled at me._

_ To Allison and Lydia, the sweetest, most caring and loving women I have ever met, tell them to keep you men in check, I know how you are Derek and although I know Lydia can hold her own, they might need a little help when it comes to giving you your weekly bath. I'm sorry Derek, werewolves might like their natural scent, but to human noses, you just stink!_

_ Take care of yourself Derek, give the kids a kiss for me and give the others a hug. I miss you terribly, but I'll be in great company when I get to where I'm going._

_ Love you always, _

_Stiles_

The letter floated to the floor.

oOo

Unseeing eyes shot open, lungs full of air, and a deep gasp brings a soul back to the living; the occupant searching frantically around the pitch black enclosed area; hands aimlessly roaming, trying to find an escape.

Memories of the past few months replay in his mind: The retirement home, Nate visiting him, telling the man about werewolves, reuniting with the pack, receiving the bite…Derek. With each passing memory, the silent echo of cracking bones could be heard, elongated nails scratching the unforgiving wooden box, eyes flashing gold.

Six feet above ground, the rather sunny, peaceful day turned gray. Huge dark, thunderous storm clouds rolled in from the west, the crack of lighting snapping a distant tree resounding through the area, strong winds knocking down electrical lines and uprooting trees, animals scurrying through the dense woods in search of shelter.

A clawed hand reaches to the sky, at first only grasping air, then grabbing dirt and a figure emerges from the mud. The muddy figure stands shakily on its two feet, hunched over, scowling. Its eyes were rimmed with red, searching for the others, searching for revenge. A menacing howl escapes his lips, allowing it to be carried with the wind to send the message of a returning pack member.

Stiles lived…but in an attempt to flee from the nightmare of his resurrection, he let his new counterpart take over and gave in to animal instinct and blood lust that flooded the wolf's mind.

**Due to new, brilliant, and epic ideas from hbrackett, this chapter evolved into something 10000 times better than the original. With this new development, there will be more chapters, I don't know how many, but there will be more.**

**Again, a huge shout-out and thank-you to hbrackett, you are truly amazing and I love your ideas, you made this story better!**


	11. Chapter 11

[Scott and Allison]

Two lovers sitting in the center of the clearing, luscious green grass surrounding them and the bright sun kissing their faces.

Scott had his arms wrapped protectively around Allison, who had her head resting on his chest, listening intently to the strong, steady heartbeat of her mate. The two lay in comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts.

Rain drops gently fell to the earth. Darker clouds started rolling in; deep bellowing of thunder could be heard in the distance. Suddenly, the wind started picking up, whipping the leaves of the trees around. Noticing the change, the two lovers got up, racing back to the house.

Flashes of lightening and claps of thunder shook the house, the strong winds whistling through the opened screens of the windows and doors. The occupants ran about, frantically trying to close the windows and doors.

"Scott, did you close the upstairs windows?" Allison asks as she latches the lock on the last window downstairs. Scott saunters into the living room, his hair windswept.

"Yeah." Scott was now standing behind Allison, wrapping his arms around her waist. The beta sighs, "When Stiles and I were younger, and there was a major storm like this, he would call my house asking if I could come over. I'd make mom take me and we'd make a fort out of sheets and hide in there and most of the time, we'd drift off to sleep." Scott's head was resting on his mate's shoulder, a sniff could be heard.

Allison leans her head back, resting on her head on Scott's shoulder, turning her face so her nose is at the nape of his neck.

"We should have never left him, not alone. I can't even…" Another tear streaks Scott's face as he remembers the day that he and the others, minus Allison and Lydia, at the time, and Stiles, had left.

_Scott runs up to his mate, quickly bringing his strong arms around her waist and pulling her into his body. "Allison…"_

"_Don't, I know everything will be fine, you will come back to me." Allison pulls from the embrace to kiss her lover. "You come back to me ok?" Scott nods his head in response. The two lovers embrace again._

_Scott and Allison were sitting on the porch, Allison leaning into Scott's side with his arm around her waist. Comfortable silence blanketed them. After a few more moments of silence, Derek emerged from the house, his shoulder soaked with tears belonging to his mate._

_Derek called out to his other betas and nodding to Scott. Derek walked over to the camaro, getting in it and waiting for the others._

_Scott turned to Allison. "Allison…"_

"_Go." Allison nods in understanding. Scott kisses her cheek and bolts up stairs._

_The beta taps on the door, "Stiles?" Scott walks into the room, noticing that his friend was lying on the bed, his back facing the door and sniffling could be heard. The young beta walked the rest of the way into the room, closing the door and heading towards the bed and sitting down. "Stiles?" sniffling again could be heard._

"_We're getting ready to leave; just wanted to tell you good-bye." Scott places a hand on Stiles' shoulder, the action triggering his best friend to fly up from his position on the bed and cling onto Scott for dear life._

_No words were said between the two friends. Stiles held onto Scott and Scott returned the gesture._

Allison and Scott trek to their room, cuddling and remembering their time with Stiles. Allison recalls the day that she and Lydia left.

"Lydia and I should have taken him with us…"

_It was a bright autumn's day, the brightly colored leaves drifting to the warm earth. All was quiet except for the occasional song from a bird or bark of a dog._

_Allison and Lydia were in their rooms, packing, while Stiles was downstairs in the kitchen making lunch. Stiles' children were outside playing._

"_Lunch is ready!" Stiles shouted as he set the last plate on the table. Evan and Grace came barreling into the kitchen, still hyper from playing._

"_Ok, you two, it's time to eat and then you two can finish your game." The two children ran over to the table and started to devour their mac-and-cheese lunch._

"_Lydia! Allison!" Stiles called again after a few minutes of not receiving a response, Stiles walked up the stairs, stopping when he saw the suitcases piled in the hallway. "Lydia?" Stiles walked into Lydia's room, noticing the closet and dresser drawers opened and cleaned out. Lydia walked out of the bathroom._

"_Allison…" Lydia stopped, noticing Stiles standing in the door way of the bedroom. "Stiles…"_

"_Lydia, I…" Allison came to a halt at seeing Stiles._

"_You guys going on a trip?" Stiles questions, looking between the two young ladies._

"_Stiles…" Lydia looks to Allison for help._

"_Stiles, Lydia and I are leaving."_

"_Where are we going? I can be packed within the hour." Stiles started to turn around to walk out the door, but Allison's hand on his shoulder stopped him, the boy turned to face the other two._

"_Stiles…" Lydia took over the conversation. "Allison and I have been talking about this and we have decided that it is better for us to leave, being here is too painful without the others."_

_Stiles world came crashing down. First Derek, Scott, Jackson and Danny leave and now Allison and Lydia; tears started to swell in his eyes._

"_No no no no no! You two c-can't leave! W-we're pack, we're s-suppose to stay together." Tears were now falling freely. Lydia made an attempt to hug Stiles, but he put his arms up, stepping away from her; his eyes dark and cold. "Don't! J-just pack your shit and leave!" Stiles stormed off down the hall to his room, slamming the door._

Allison was crying into Scott's shoulder, Scott was stroking her hair, trying to calm her down, but he too was crying; crying for leaving Stiles, crying for the loss of a pack member, a friend.

A howl echoed through the house.

[Jackson and Lydia]

"Close that damn window Jackson!" Lydia yelled at her mate as she walked out of the bathroom and was greeted by a gust of cold wind. Jackson sat motionless in front of the opened window, completely lost in his thoughts and not noticing his mate was in the room.

"Jackson!" Lydia yelled again, snapping her fingers in front of Jackson's face. Jackson blinked.

"Huh?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lydia leaned over, closing the window and then sitting in her mate's lap and wrapping her arms around his neck; Jackson sighed. "Jackson?"

"Huh?"

Lydia let out a breath, knowing what was wrong with Jackson. "We all miss him." She leans in, placing her nose where Jackson's shoulder meets his neck.

Jackson let out a shaky breath. "W-we should have never left him, we should have went against Derek's orders and brought him with us."

Lydia was quiet, she wasn't sure as to what to say. They all suffered a great loss and were dealing with their decisions over the years. Silent tears were shed between the two lovers; they hung onto each other, trying to deal with their grief for the loss of their pack mate.

Jackson shot up, a look of confusion masked on his face. Lydia heard it too and was about to speak, but before she could, fast footsteps could be heard running down the hallway. Lydia walks into the hallway noticing Scott and Jackson staring at their alpha's opened bedroom door.


	12. Chapter 12

Derek does not know how long he sat in silence, staring blankly out of the window; all those years being separated from his mate and the not knowing of where Stiles was or if he was ok. He should have brought Stiles to him, should have turned him sooner; if he had, Stiles' wouldn't be dead.

Memories of the past flooded his vision, but the one that really stuck with him was the day that he and his betas left.

_The faithful betas and the alpha were running last minute training, trying to stay fit and ready for any thing. Allison and Lydia were sitting on the back porch watching their mates train while Stiles was in his bedroom staring blankly at the wall, escaped tears running down his face._

_Derek finally decides that the betas are ready, he nods his head towards the girls, signaling to his betas that it is time to say good-bye to their mates. Jackson and Scott run up to their lovers, hugging and kissing them; wishing that they could just stay. Danny followed behind his other two pack members, watching with tears in his eyes. He feels a strong hand clap his shoulder, it was Derek. No words were exchanged, but the two had an understanding._

_The alpha walked into the house, listening for his mate's heart beat, after a second of searching, he can tell that Stiles is up in their room. Derek makes his way towards the stairs, taking two at a time and stopping just short of the entrance to the room. He taps on the door, just enough so Stiles can hear._

"_Stiles?" Derek's voice a soft whisper; a sniffle could be heard as Stiles brings his hand to his face to wipe away the traces of the tears. The young man turns around, eyes puffy and nose red from crying._

"_Yes?"_

_Derek has a lump forming in his throat, tears swelling in his eyes. "We're, we're getting ready to leave." The alpha looks down at the bed, trying not to look at the hurt in Stiles' eyes. Derek can feel arms wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. "Stiles."_

_Tears could be felt on his shoulder, Stiles' silent tears. Derek brought his hand up to Stiles' neck, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb. The teen's body started to shake as he started sobbing._

"_Y-you can't leave." Hearing his lover's voice made the alpha lose control and allowed the tears to flow freely._

_The two lovers held onto each other, not wishing to let go, knowing that when they break the embrace that Derek will leave and Stiles will be alone._

_Derek lies down on the bed, bringing Stiles with him. Stiles lies on top of Derek and eventually fall asleep. This is when Derek decides that it is time for him to leave. He gently moves out from underneath the sleeping Stiles and places a kiss on his forehead. The movement causes the boy to wake up and wrap his arms around the lycan again, pulling him down and kissing him passionately._

Derek blinks, tears escaping. The alpha stands up, box in hand and walks out of the room. He walks past Nancy without a word, walking to his car, getting in it and driving off into the distance; towards his home.

Words were not spoken when Derek returns home, the others busy with whatever they were doing. Derek walks into the home and goes straight upstairs to his room. For the most part, everything is silent; giggling in the distance could be heard, Lydia and Jackson in their room talking and the kids were doing whatever the hell that they did nowadays.

Derek lies down on the bed, curling into himself and silently crying himself to sleep.

_Derek wakes up in a dimly lit room, his eyes scan around the enclosed space; he recognizes it as Stiles' and his room, the day that he had left._

_Derek sees Stiles holding on tightly, not wanting to let go, he sees himself leave and Scott entering the room._

_He blinks again. This time, he was looking at Lydia and Allison packing, telling Stiles that they were leaving and his mate going to his room and slamming the door._

'_Bang!' Derek is now in a different part of time: Grace and Evan leaving, the children hugging their teary eyed father, telling him good-bye and running off in the distance._

_The alpha is watching from a distance as images of Stiles' life is revealed to him. _

_Stiles wandering alone around the country side._

_Stiles sitting in complete darkness._

_Shattered picture frames thrown about._

_Stiles entering the retirement home._

_Sitting and staring out of the window._

_Reuniting with the pack._

_The bite._

_Death._

Derek wakes up, panting, out of breath, sweating. The alpha looks about the room, noticing darkness crawling in from outside and the wind starting to pick up. Derek goes over to his window, looking out into the forest and the clearing. So many things have happened in that clearing. It was where Stiles and he professed their love for each other, where the pack would gather for meetings and family gatherings… where Stiles died.

Derek shutters at the memory of Stiles receiving the bite and falling to the ground, out cold. How frantic everything was. He held onto Stiles' body close to his while silent tears fell to Stiles' face.

How could he have let this happen? He was supposed to protect his mate, not let him die. Darkness clouds the alpha, pain and suffering more so present than ever. He walks over to his dresser, kneeling down on the floor to grasp the bottom drawer. Derek is able to get the drawer out, searching the contents until he finds a small metal box; he opens it, his eyes flash red.

The alpha grabs the needed items, taking them out of the box and going over to his bed, sitting down. He places the items on his lap, staring at them.

'Click' Derek places the first bullet in the gun.

'Click' second.

'Click' third.

Derek aims the gun at his stomach, deciding that he shall have a slow and painful death, like he inflicted on Stiles only a few months ago. Another click could be heard, his finger steady on the trigger. Derek closes his eyes.

_Stiles' smile_

_Chocolate brown eyes_

_Laughing_

A silent tear streaks the alpha's face. His grip on the gun tightens, the move of his trigger finger, he's ready.

A howl shakes the house, shuffling could be heard; the bedroom door flying open, revealing Scott and Jackson in the doorway.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: It has been a while since I have updated but now since it is spring break, I'll hopefully write the next couple chapters and post them.**

**I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, I feel like I rushed it or something. But next chapter, I think anyways, will be better. I finally got a spark of an idea of how I want the next chapters to go.**

**You can visit my blog for updates about my stories and about story ideas; the link can be found on my profile.**

**Anyways, here is the latest chapter; hope you guys enjoy!**

Derek's head snapped up, a confused look plastered on his face. Without a word, Derek dropped the gun to the floor, scurrying to the bedroom door and pushing past the occupants of the doorway and hallway. The alpha ran down the stairs and out of the front door, shedding his human skin.

Jackson, Scott and Danny were close behind, following their alpha's actions and also shifting.

The group runs as pack, Derek in the lead, followed by Jackson, Scott and Danny. Through the woods, running at full speed, rain pouring down, soaking them, darker clouds rolling in, thunder and lightening heard and seen.

Their destination was unknown; their only indication was the howling.

Large, sturdy iron gates came into view, 'North Cemetery' written on the arch of the gates.

Derek and his betas were lightly panting.

"I-is it possible?" Scott panted.

"What do you think it means?" Jackson questions.

Derek was silent, trying to figure out what was going on. He decides to go into the cemetery, going to the plot where his beloved mate was buried.

Closer Derek got to the grave, the muddier the ground seemed to get; he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Derek, what's wro…" Danny started, but noticed the disturbed muddy ground.

Derek was standing, staring at gaping hole that led to his beloved's final resting place. The alpha fell to his knees, hands touching the ground, fingers digging into the swamp-like soil; his head was tilted back, a heartbreaking howl erupting from deep inside his chest.

The three betas, which were back to human form, shifted again and looked on as their leader released his sorrow into the unforgiving winds.

oOo

"What's going on?" Evan walks into the living room where Allison and Lydia were.

"We're not sure, but I'm sure that everything will be fine." Lydia answered.

"I…" Screams filled the air; Allison, Lydia and Evan look at one another in complete shock, at first not knowing what to do; another blood curdling scream echoes throughout the house.

Evan was the first one to make a move, running up the steps to the young werewolves' room, throwing the door open and barging into the room.

There, in the middle, a wolf figure, standing hunched over, fangs bared, claws extended and dripping blood. His eyes were rimmed with red as he growled.

Grace and the others had shifted in a panicked state. They were waiting for the right time to attack. Evan and the two aunts came into view in the door way, looking at the scene in front of them.

The figure tilted its head up, still growling then jumped out the window. Evan rushed to the window, seeing the figure retreating to the cover of the woods.

"What the hell was that?" Grace looked over to her brother.

Evan, in disbelief, turns to face the others. "Everyone downstairs, dad's home." He walks out of the room without another word.

The front door opens, the alpha and three betas entering the house, out of breath. Derek looked up into the faces of the rest of the pack, noticing something was off.

Evan looked to his father, confusion and dread present of his face. "Dad…"

Derek knew by seeing Stiles' grave and the scent of another wolf in the house; Stiles was alive.

"What's going on?" Grace asks, still shaken by the experience that only occurred moments ago.

The pack looked to their alpha, waiting for a response; Derek took a deep, shaky breath; "H-he's alive."

"Who?" Lydia asks, confused.

"S-Stiles, he's alive."

"What? How is that even possible?"

"Dad are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Wait, so that thing that was in our room was daddy?"

Derek's children looked at him, waiting for an answer. "Yes."

Grace starts to cry, Evan going over to his sister to embrace and try to comfort her.

"Derek, what do we do?"

"We have to make sure we get to him before the hunters do."

"You aren't thinking about killing him are you?" Scott asks.

"No, I'm going to get the old Stiles back." Derek walks away from the group, going to his room to think of a way to get the old Stiles back.

oOo

It has been a week since the encounter with Stiles. Derek has been scrounging through old books that survived the fire, looking for answers.

"How's your research going?"

"I haven't found too much information on the topic, Scott. The only thing I found was that it is possible for a mate of a werewolf to return to life if they were bitten when they were older, but that is it, it doesn't explain why Stiles has gone rogue." Derek looks to his feet, tears swelling in his eyes.

Scott places a hand on his alpha's shoulder; "We'll get him back." Scott tightens his grip on his alpha's shoulder and then turns to leave the room.

Derek turns to face the window, looking out into the sunlit woods; he takes in a shaky breath. '_I'm going to save you like I should have done all those years ago. I won't give up one us.'_

oOo

"Pack meeting!" Derek's voice booms; the pack members scrambled into the meeting room and taking their seats. Derek waits to make sure he has everyone's attention before speaking. "Stiles is alive. He is a werewolf; the bite took. I have to stop him before the hunters get to him. We have been lucky so far; however, Friday is the full moon. _I_ have to act then or it'll be too late to save Stiles."

"How are we going to save him?" Scott was curious how they were going to be able to save his friend. "Wait, why are you just saying 'you'? We're in this together."

"Scott is right." Danny spoke. "_We_ did this to Stiles."

"It we want any chance of getting Stiles back, I have to be the one to do it; being his mate and his alpha."

"What do you have to do exactly?" Danny questions.

"Being his alpha, I have to call him to me and challenge him."

"Derek that's insane. You may be an alpha but Stiles is too far gone and he'll probably kill you."

"Then that's the way it shall be. If he kills me, he won't live long without a mate and die soon afterwards."

"Dad are you insane! What about Evan and I? How are we going to go on without both of our parents?" Grace looks at Derek, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Grace…" Derek starts but Evan is the one to explain the situation to Grace.

"Grace, this has to be done. Everything will be fine; we'll still have each other and the rest of the pack." Grace turns to face her brother and walks over to him to bury her face in his chest. After a moment, Grace pulls away from her brother to embrace her father.

"You bring him home to us." Grace sobs as she feels her father's hand runs through her long hair.

It was settled, on Friday, Derek would call Stiles out of hiding, challenge the wolf and fight, it was all or nothing.

Save Stiles or die trying.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Two chapters within 24 hours, woo!**

**This chapter was hard for me to write even with inspiration from a few songs. I had the songs on replay the whole time I was writing this, so needless to say, I like the song now, didn't at first because it creeped me out. **

**Well, enough rambling, here's the next chapter.**

Silence embraced the sleeping earth. A tall shadow maneuvers its way through the trees, weaving in and out to dodge the obstacles in its way. The figure barely makes a sound as it comes to complete stop in the middle of the darkened woods.

A thunderous howl shakes the sleeping earth, creatures of the night scurrying for safety, habitants of Beacon Hills who were enjoying the quiet evening run inside to the safety of their homes and locking all their doors and windows.

Derek stands, thinking, waiting to catch a glimpse of the man he loves, the man he neglected for thirty years, a man who deserves better.

Crunching of leaves, snapping of a twig and a low growl was heard. Derek remains completely still, waiting for Stiles to come out of the shadows.

"Come out Stiles, let's talk."

Growling; "It's too late for talking."

"I never meant to leave you alone for so long."

Sinister laughter, "Thirty years, Der, thirty years."

"I know. I know I can never make up for the pain that I caused you during that time. But there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about you."

Growling

"Stiles, I know that deep down that you don't want to do this."

Crunching of leaves

"Please just come out so we can talk."

Stiles emerges from the blanket of darkness, fangs elongated and claws taking place as finger nails. Derek looks to Stiles' eyes, seeing them rimmed with red, filled with anger, hate and hurt; he believes that when he looked harder, he saw the old Stiles, the one without hate, filled with love and laughter.

_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_When I said, "I'll never let you go"_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

The monster that Stiles has become starts circling Derek, looking on with blood lust. "You did this to me."

"I never meant for any of this to happen; I never meant to hurt you."

_I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

"Don't you think it's a little too late to be saying that?"

Derek could feel the shift in the air, he could feel Stiles start to get antsy and getting ready to attack. Derek closes his eyes.

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

The alpha can hear Stiles snarling

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

Stiles pounces, his claws digging deep into Derek's back. Derek howls in pain, thrashing around, trying to fight back. Stiles has the upper hand, picking Derek up and throwing him to the cold earth.

_Don't you dare look out your window darling_

_Everything's on fire_

"I'm letting you off easy, Der." Derek manages to get to his feet, his shirt now in tatters and his back stained with blood. Derek continues to remain silent. "Imagine all this pain bottled up, year after year."

_The war outside our door keeps raging on_

_Hold onto this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone_

_Gone_

Derek stands still while Stiles circles him once again; the alpha waiting patiently for the right opportunity to attack.

_Just close your eyes_

_They sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

Stiles lounges at his mate again, this time Derek fights back. The battle between the two is gruesome; both clawing at one another, trying to rip the other to shreds, out of existence.

The battle rages on, the ground is now covered in blood; scratch marks indent the battle field. The end is near.

Derek's wolf counterpart is starting to weaken, the affect of fighting one's mate. Stiles can feel the life draining from Derek, who is crouched on the ground, spitting out blood and out of breath.

"How does it feel? The one you love killing you slowly, making death painful and all you can do is just let it happen, let death consume you."

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light _

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

"Stiles…" Derek whispers, pain evident in his voice.

Stiles lets out a blood curdling howl, shots ringing out and hitting everything in sight. Derek, who was still kneeling on the ground, looks up. The alpha notices that a group of hunters were coming directly their way. The animalistic side of Derek took over, his one and only mission: save Stiles.

Derek was in full alpha mode. The alpha let out a warning howl and then charged towards the oncoming group of hunters.

Guns and bows were at the steady, waiting to be used. Shots were fired left and right as Derek continued his assault on the hunters.

_Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh_

_La La (La La)_

_La La (La La) , _

_Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh_

_La La (La La)_

The hunters were strong, when one would be tossed to the side like a rag doll, five more hunters would appear and shoot without faltering.

Multiple shots hit Derek, but they did not slow the alpha down, just fueled his rage even more.

The battle continues as alpha Derek claws and mutilates his way through the hunters, who are shooting with their entire mite to take down the raging beast.

Howling in the distance was heard; the pack was on their way. The pack snuck up behind enemy lines, attacking from the back and destroying more hunters. Jackson, Danny and Scott were now fighting side by side with their alpha as the rest of the pack was scouting out hidden threats.

After the pack came to Derek's aid, the battle only lasted a few moments. Hunters, who were not killed, limped or carried fellow hunters back to their vehicles, retreating into the fading darkness. The fight lasted all night, the sun peaking its way through the trees, songs of Mother Nature now took center stage.

The pack was healing quickly, Derek, however, was becoming weaker by the minute.

"Dad!" Grace ran up to her father, who was lying on the ground, gasping for breath.

"G-Grace…" Derek coughs up blood.

"Help!" Grace shouts, tears streaming down her face. "Some one help!" Running footsteps were heard behind the girl. The pack was now at their alpha's side.

"We have to do something!" Grace yells. The others look on with somber eyes.

Scott looks around, noticing that Stiles was no where near, "Where's Stiles?" Heads snap up, frantically looking around. "We have to find him. Let's split up." They split up, searching for their pack mate. Grace and Evan stay by their father's side.

"We'll find him." Grace soothingly strokes her father's head, which was now placed on her lap. Evan was kneeling beside his sister, his hand resting on her back. Derek is trying to fight off the darkness until his mate is found.

In the distance, Scott's voice calls out, "Found him! Over here!"

Stiles was in the same state that Derek was, lying on the cold earth, skin stained with blood, eyes starting to glaze over.

Scott kneels down beside his friend cautiously, "Stiles." Stiles manages to look at his friend.

"S-Scott…" Stiles reaches out his blood stained hand, grasping Scott's arm.

"Shh, you're going to be ok; we're not leaving you." Scott moves to pick up his friend. "Sorry, this is going to hurt." Stiles yelps in pain.

Scott hurries as fast as he can to get back to Derek; he passes the others on the way, who follow closely behind him. Derek, Grace and Evan come into view.

"Get back!" Scott orders. Grace and Evan jump up and away from their father.

"Pa!" Grace started to move to get to her other dad until arms snaked their way around her waist, holding her back.

Scott lays Stiles next to Derek; their eyes locking onto the other's gaze.

Stiles coughs up blood; "Derek…" his voice weak.

Darkness consumes his world.

_Just close your eyes_

_You'll be alright_

_Come morning light,_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Oooh, oooh, oooh, ooh oh oh_

**Song: Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I do believe that this is the last chapter to this story. It feels kind of weird to finally finish this story, it's a bitter-sweet ending.**

**I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read and review this story and give me ideas of where they would like to see the story go.**

**As of right now, I have multiple stories started but not finished, hopefully though, I'll get some motivation to finish them.**

**Song used in this chapter: I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz (Love, love, love that song!)**

**Enjoy!**

_Sunlight broke through the clouds, warming up planet earth below. Sweet aroma of the newly blossomed flowers drifted on the wind._

"Stay with us."

_The man looks around, taking in his surroundings; nothing but happiness fills him. Closing his eyes and smiling, allowing the warmth to take control, soaking into every inch of his being._

"Over here!"

_Another figure comes to sit beside the other man. "Stiles."_

"_Hello Derek."_

"Call Deaton!"

"_Are we…"_

"_Dead? No."_

"_Why are we here?"_

_Stiles shrugs, "I love this place, the sun is always shining."_

"_It is beautiful."_

_**When I look into your eyes**_

_**It's like watching the night sky**_

_**Or a beautiful sunrise**_

"_Derek," Stile turns to face Derek, placing his hand on the other man's. The two lovers were looking lovingly into the other's eyes. "I'm sorry about earlier."_

"_Stiles, don't. Don't apologize. What happened was not your fault; it's mine. I should have turned you a long time ago. I was just too afraid to loose you, but I did, I did loose you that day in the woods, when I tried to turn you. If I hadn't then…" A tear streams down the alpha's face._

_**There's so much they hold**_

_**And just like them old stars**_

_**I see that you've come so far**_

"We're loosing them!"

"_We're going to be ok, Derek. We'll get through this, together."_

_**To be right where you are**_

_**How old is your soul?**_

"Stand back!"

_A little girl comes into view, running as fast as she can over the hill. She jumps into Stiles' lap, hugging him and then turns around in his lap and plays with the luscious green grass in front of her; her blonde hair shining in the light._

_Stiles runs his hand through the girl's hair, still speaking to Derek. "Thirty years alone gives you some time to think. Every day, after everyone left, I would walk through the vacant house, stopping every now and then to smile and recall all those long ago memories. Before I would leave the house, I would go into our bedroom, closing my eyes and seeing the room full of life; you chasing me around the bed, laughing; our late nights where we would just talk, nights when you would just hold me close to you. When I found the retirement home, I stopped going to the house, coming to the realization that you and the others were not coming home and just going back to where we spent our life was too painful. I would sit in front of the window, staring out into the distance, rain or shine, and imagine seeing you walking up the road."_

_**I won't give up on us**_

_**Even if the skies get rough**_

_**I'm giving you all my love**_

_**I'm still looking up**_

_Stiles takes a shaky breath in; "Every fight, every argument we ever had didn't matter to me any more; I would rather have you there to argue with than not at all."_

_**And when you're needing your space**_

_**To do some navigating**_

_**I'll be here patiently waiting**_

_**To see what you find**_

_Derek remains silent, knowing that Stiles needs to get his emotions out, to express all the feelings he held in for so long. "People thought I was crazy, waiting day in and day out for the one who left me, whom they thought would never return. I knew that one day that you would return to me and we could finally be the family we wanted to be when we first started out. I could feel you, even when the bond started to fade and it was harder to feel you. No matter how many people told me to get over you, I knew, deep down that you were still fighting, fighting to return home, return to me."_

'_**Cause even the stars they burn**_

_**Some even fall to the earth**_

"_Now, even sitting here in our little dream world, I know that our feelings and dreams we have here will continue when we return home." A tear escapes Stiles' eye, sliding down his cheek. Derek reaches his hand up, wiping the tear away with his thumb. He places his hand under Stiles' chin, making the young man look at him._

_**We've got a lot to learn**_

_**God knows we're worth it**_

_**No, I won't give up**_

"_The minute that I stepped out of our room that day we left, I already missed your touch, your voice, your laugh, your smile, everything. My mission was to take down the rogue pack as fast as possible to get back to you. Everyday on the battlefield, you were the only thing I could think about. You were keeping me alive."_

_**I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily**_

_**I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make**_

"_At night, I would lie awake, staring up at the stars, wondering if you were doing the same. I would wish to the higher powers to bring me home to you."_

_**Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use**_

_**The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake**_

"_The thought of you was strong enough for me to fight every day, not to loose hope."_

_**And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend**_

_**For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn**_

_**We had to learn how to bend without the world carving in**_

_The little girl started squirming in Stiles' lap; the action breaking Derek and Stiles' gazes and looking in the distance. Coming over the hill was Stiles' mother and father along with Derek's family._

_Stiles smiles at the sight in front of him, Derek looks onward, tears threatening to fall; he looks towards Stiles._

_Stiles nods his head, "Go." Derek kisses Stiles' lips as he gets up and starts running towards his family._

_**I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not**_

_**And who I am**_

_Derek's mother and father stand with their arms wide open, wrapping around their son and holding onto him, never wanting to let go._

_Derek has his head on his mother's shoulder, nose at the crook of her neck, taking in her scent that he missed so much. Derek pulls away to look his mother directly in the eyes, eyes that held so much love, where home was, eyes that could tell stories of the past, present and future. The Hale boy was too overwhelmed with joy that he could not form words._

_Mrs. Hale places her hands on both sides of her son's face, "My how have you grown; a handsome, well mannered man."_

_Tears were falling freely down Derek's face. Derek looked to his father, who stood off to the side. His father was not a man of words but a man of action. Mr. Hale brought Derek in for another hug. _

"_No hugs for you sister?" Derek broke the embrace with his father, turning around to face the owner of the voice._

"_Laura!" The first word Derek has been able to form since being reunited with his family. Derek hugs his sister, kissing her cheek and allowing the tears to flow freely down his face._

_Derek takes a step back to look at the faces in front of him. All of his aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers were all looking back at him, smiling. Even faces that he did not recognize were there, standing beside Stiles and his parents._

The pack was exhausted, waiting on news about their alphas, waiting to hear the verdict if Stiles and Derek were going to be fine.

"What the hell is taking so long?" Scott was pacing back and forth, biting on his lips.

"I'm sure everything is fine…" Danny tries to comfort the other beta but to no avail.

"If everything was fine, Deaton would be out here talking to us, not in that room doing whatever the hell he is doing." Scott started to shift; Jackson, who was also on edge and tired of Scott's pacing, shot up from his spot on the couch and slammed Scott against the wall.

"Calm your ass down McCall. You're not the only one dealing with this." Jackson growled.

Scott was about to retort when Evan's voice became audible. "Stop! Fighting will not solve anything. Our fathers, _our_ alphas, would not want us to be fighting like this. We knew the risk when dad left and we knew there was a possibility that we would loose both of them. Right now, we just have to stay strong and wait until Deaton comes out of that room!"

_Stiles was now by Derek's side, their arms wrapped around each other as they looked onward, towards their beloved family members._

_**I won't give up on us**_

_**Even if the skies get rough**_

_**I'm giving you all my love**_

_Derek scans his eyes over the group in front of him; all his family members looking back at him with smiles plastered on their faces. His mother and father giving him a nod, saying everything that had went unspoken when they perished in the fire; the closure Derek finally needed. Derek's eyes finally land on Stiles' parents. Mrs. Stilinski gave Derek a wink while the Sheriff also gave Derek a nod._

_**I'm still looking up**_

_**Still looking up**_

_Derek looks down at the man in his arms, forest green eyes meeting dark pools of chocolate. Stiles and Derek share a smile, then Derek leans down, capturing his lover's lips for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Warmth enveloped their bodies, the world before them starting to fade._

Coughing

Eyes shooting open

Gasps of breath

_**I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)**_

_**God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)**_

_**We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)**_

_**God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)**_

Derek frantically looks around at his surroundings; he is at the vet's office, on a cold table with an extremely bright light shining down upon him; he believes he is the only one occupying the room until he hears it: his mate's heart beat.

Derek struggles to sit up so he can look at Stiles.

"Whoa, easy there big guy." Jackson was standing beside the table now, arms supporting the alpha.

"W-where are the others?"

"Finally asleep. I'm on patrol while they sleep." Jackson smirks.

"H-how's Stiles?" Derek looks over Jackson's shoulders to where Stiles' body lays.

"He's stable."

"H-he's tied down to the table."

"Doc didn't want to risk it." Derek swings his legs over the side of the exam table, pushing himself off and stumbling. Jackson grabs his alpha before he falls. "Take it easy, you just had some major surgery there, Derek."

Derek growls. "I want to see Stiles."

"You'll be able to see him once you're strong enough, but right now, I'm going to help you back onto this table…"

"No!" Derek's voice becomes thunderous, his eyes flashing red.

"Ok, ok. I'll help you." Jackson lifts one of Derek's arms to drape over his shoulder and support the alpha's weight. The beta stands up as much as possible and helps Derek to the table where Stiles was still unconscious. "Let me get you a chair."

"Help me onto the table."

"There's no room."

"Help. Me. Onto. The table."

"You could at least say please. Oh my god, I'm starting to sound like Stilinski." Jackson rolls his eyes as he helps Derek lift himself up onto the small exam table, practically sitting on top of Stiles. Derek starts to untie the ties that had Stiles latched onto the table.

"I don't think…" Derek growls. "Ok, I'm just going to go…" Jackson walks out of the room, leaving the two alphas alone.

Just outside of the room, the rest of the pack was still sleeping. It has been two days since the fight and two days of waiting for any changes with Derek or Stiles.

Danny was the first one to awake; he notices Jackson coming out of the exam room.

"Is everything alright?" Sleep was still present in his voice.

"Yeah, Derek is awake. Go back to sleep." Danny smiles then settles back into the chair and goes back to sleep.

Back in the room containing Stiles and Derek, Derek had himself wrapped around Stiles as best as he could. The alpha had his arms wrapped around his mate's waist and his nose found Stiles' crook of his neck. Inhaling Stiles' scent, Derek starts to drift off but sleep is put on hold when he feels his mate stir below him.

Stiles' eyes flutter open, blinking multiple times and droopily looks around the room. "Derek?" Derek looks at the newly restored youth in Stiles' features. "Where are we?"

"Deaton's office. Go back to sleep, you're still weak."

"Where are the others? I want to see them."

"They're in the other room; you'll see them soon, right now just rest."

Stiles tries to get up but Derek's weight on him stops him. "Let me up."

"Just relax."

The pack had finally awoken and starts walking about the small waiting room, waiting patiently for the right moment to enter the exam room. Finally, the door to the exam room opens the rest of the pack file into the room, gathering around the exam table; their smiling faces looking down upon their pack member.

Scott was the first one to speak, breaking the comfortable silence. "Welcome home Stiles."

_**I won't give up on us**_

_**Even if the skies get rough**_

_**I'm giving you all my love**_

_**I'm still looking up**_


End file.
